Background
Lotto Lorenzo was born in Venice, Italy approximately in 1480.
illustrator painter draughtsman
Lotto Lorenzo was born in Venice, Italy approximately in 1480.
Lotto was with little doubt a pupil of the conservative Alvise Vivarini and absorbed from him the traditional scheme of presenting figures and surroundings separately. Also, he was influenced by Giovanni Bellini.
Lorenzo's early work has a decidedly crisp and clear character, that shows the influence of the Venetian painters Gentile and Giovanni Bellini, although it also reflects the lyricism of Giorgione and, in the treatment of landscape, the influence of German painters and printmakers, notably Albrecht Dürer. A masterpiece of Lotto's early period is the portrait of Bishop Bernardo dé Rossi (1505), painted in the finest detail with utmost clarity. A beautiful light is cast over the formally posed half-length figure, the face does not betray any emotion, but the eyes are brilliant and animated.
In 1509, Lotto went to Rome. He probably stayed there until about 1512 and may, therefore, have been directly exposed to the art of Raphael and Michelangelo, who were then working in Rome. Lotto's complex and rich paintings, executed in Bergamo between 1513 and 1526, show the influence not only of Raphael, but also of Lombard painting and the art of Titian. Indeed, noticeable throughout Lotto's career is a subtle attunement of his work to that of the greatest artists among his contemporaries, but always in a way, that is uniquely his own. He experimented with and mastered a very gentle and ever softer, but consistently accurate style, somewhat in the manner of Correggio, but bathed in the richer, more colorful light of Venice. Lotto was often pointedly complex in his choice of gestures and figure poses, as well as in the invention of his stories.
Lotto was a wanderer and his travels and long sojourns took him to Ancona, Treviso and the Marches, but Venice was his principal place of residence. In 1552, he moved to Loreto and gave all his property and the promise of his services as a painter to the sanctuary of the Holy House. In return, he was made an oblate of the Blessed Virgin.
The somewhat melancholy charm and the occasional majesty of Lotto's mature work are perhaps most evident in his portraits. Often the figures, that he depicted, look at their viewers with a certain intensity, as if they wanted to pass on to them a knowledge, that transcends words. Such is the case in the portrait of the Venetian art collector Andrea Odoni (1527), who, surrounded by his treasures, holds out to the viewers an antique statuette, representing Diana of Ephesus, the goddess of nature.
Also, as a history painter, Lotto often presented new and elaborate inventions. An affecting example of his finest accomplishments in this genre is the work "Christ Taking Leave of His Mother" (1521).
Portrait of a musician
Altar of Santa Cristina al Tiverone, main board: Madonna Enthroned, St. Peter and St. Christina of Bolsena, St. Liberalis and St. Jerome
Architect
Portrait of a Young Man
St. Christopher
Portrait of a Jeweler, Possibly Giovanni Pietro Crivelli
Portrait of Giovanni della Volta with his Wife and Children
Altar of Recanati polyptych, main board: Madonna Enthroned with the Christ child, three angels, St. Dominic, St. Gregory and St. Urban
St. Jerome Meditating in the Desert
Allegory (Allegory of prudence and wisdom)
The Angel of the Annunciation
Madonna and Child with Saint Peter Martyr
St. Jerome in the Desert
Sleeping Apollo, Muses and Fama
The Nativity
Husband and Wife
Portrait of a Woman
Portrait of a Man with a Felt Hat
Goldsmith seen from three sides
Virgin and Child with Saints Jerome, Peter, Clare and Francis
Virgin and Child with Two Donors
Portrait of a Young Man With a Book
Portrait of a man
The Mystic Marriage of St. Catherine with the patron Niccolo Bonghi
Madonna and St. Catherine of Alexandria, St. James the Greater and an angel
Nativity of Mary
Portrait of a young man in red garment
Portrait of a bearded man (Giorgione Barbarelli)
St. Nicholas in Glory with St. John the Baptist, St. Lucy and below St. George Slaying the Dragon
St. Catherine of Alexandria
Bust of a Bearded Man
Madonna and Child Enthroned with Four Saints
Deposition of Christ
Altar of Recanati polyptych, crowning of the right wing: St. Catherine of Siena, and St. Sigismund
Stories of St Barbara
Frescoes in the Oratory Suardi in Trescore, scene of the blessing of St. Brigid of Kildare
Altar polyptych of San Bartolomeo, Bergamo, main panel: Enthroned Madonna with Angels and Saints - Alexander of Bergamo, Barbara, Roch, Dominic
Mystic marriage of Saint Catherine of Alexandria and Saint Catherine of Siena
Altar of Recanati polyptych, the left wing: St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Flavian
Madonna with a Bishop and St. Onuphrius
Madonna with St. Jerome and St. Anthony of Padua
Holy Family with angels and saints
Susanna and the Elders
St. Dominic Polyptych
The Holy Family with St. Catherine of Alexandria
Altar of St. Lucia: St. Lucia in front of the judges
A Nobleman on a Balcony
Christ and the Adulteress
Portrait of a Gentleman with a Rosary
Christ's farewell to Mary
Portrait of Giovanni Agostino della Torre and his son Niccolò
The Transfiguration of Christ
A Lady with a Drawing of Lucretia
The Trinity
Madonna with St. Roch and St. Sebastian
Enthroned Madonna with Angels and Saints, St. Joseph and St. Bernard on the left, St. John the Baptist and St. Anthony the Abbot on the right
The Angel of the Annunciation
Portrait of a Gentleman in his Study
Pieta
Triumph of Chastity
Portrait of a Man in Black Silk Cloak
Altar of Recanati polyptych, the right wing: martyr St. Peter and St. Vitus
Asolo Altarpiece, main panel: Scene of the Assumption with St. Anthony the Abbot and St. Louis of Toulouse
The Annunciation
Andrea Odoni
The Story of St. Barbara and St. Alvise
Polyptych Ponteranica
Signor Marsilio Cassotti and his Wife, Faustina
The Presentation of Christ in the Temple
Angel collecting blood from the wounds of Christ
Altar of Santa Cristina al Tiverone, bezels crowning of the main board: Angel Pietà
Portrait of a Gentleman
Sts Thomas Aquinas and Flavian, Sts Peter the Martyr and Vitus
Man with a Golden Paw
St. Jerome
Bishop Bernardo de' Rossi
Portrait of a gentleman with gloves
Altar of Recanati polyptych, crowning the main board: Angel Pietà
Nativity of Christ
Enthroned Madonna with Angels and Saints, St. Catherine of Alexandria and St. Augustine on the left, St. Sebastian and St. Anthony the Abbot on the right
Portrait of Fra Gregorio Belo di Vicenza
Portrait of a man
The Legend of St. Barbara.
Portrait of Lucina Brembati
Portrait of a Man
The Madonna of the Roses
Madonna and Child with Sts Peter, Christine, Liberale, and Jerome
Christ Carrying the Cross
Altar polyptych of San Bartolomeo, Bergamo, foot plate: Martyrdom of St. Stephen
Portrait of Crossbowman
St. Dominic Raises Napoleone Orsini
Virgin Annunciated
Madonna and Child with St. Jerome, St. Joseph and St. Anne
Portrait of a 37 years old man
A man with letter
Portrait of Laura da Pola, wife of Febo da Brescia
Christ Leading the Apostles to Mount Tabor
Venus and Cupid
Crucifixion
St. Sebastian
Portrait of Febo da Brescia
Madonna of the Rosary
Portrait of a young man
Altar polyptych of San Bartolomeo, Bergamo, foot plate: Entombment
Wings of a triptych: St. Sebastian, St. Christopher
The Charity of St. Anthony
Altar of St. Lucia, footplate: St. Lucia in prayer and the valediction of St. Lucia
Allegory of Chastity
Lotto was a man of strong personal faith, who also had a sincere devotion to Loreto and its great relic, the Holy House, spending his final years in that city, and devoting himself very largely to its interests.