Peripatetic Venetian artist Lorenzo Lotto, now in…
1556 CE
Peripatetic Venetian artist Lorenzo Lotto, now in his seventies, had found it increasingly difficult to earn a living.
Furthermore, in 1550 one of his works had had an unsuccessful auction in Ancona.
As recorded in his personal account book, this had deeply disillusioned him.
As he has always been a deeply religious man, he had ceased his wanderings in 1552 and taken refuge at the Holy Sanctuary at Loreto, becoming an oblate, or lay brother.
Since then, he has decorated the basilica of S. Maria and painted a Presentation of Christ in the Temple, for the Palazzo Apostolico in Loreto.
He dies in 1556 and is buried, at his request, in a Dominican habit.
He leaves a long sequence of much-admired portraits, including a series of riveting paintings done in the 3/4-length Venetian portrait mode.
Giorgio Vasari includes Lotto's biography in the third volume of his book Vite.
Lorenzo Lotto himself leaves many letters and a detailed notebook (Libro di spese diverse, 1538–1556), giving a certain insight in his life and work.
His influence is felt by many painters, including probably Giovanni Busi.
Images
Lorenzo Lotto: A Venetian woman in the guise of Lucretia (1533) Oil on canvas, 95 × 110 cm, National Gallery, London
Locations
Groups
Regions
Southwest Europe
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