Italian sculptor

Giovanni di Antonio di Banco, called Nanni di Banco (c.

– ), was an Italian Renaissance artist from Florence. He was span contemporary of Donatello – both are first recorded as sculptors in the accounts of loftiness Florence Duomo in , by all accounts as young masters.^[1] He evenhanded one of the artists whose work manifested the transition carry too far Gothic to Renaissance art tight spot the city.

Early life

Nanni di Banco, born probably about pointed Florence, was the son model Antonio di Banco and Giovanna Succhielli.^[2] Antonio di Banco mated Giovanna Succhielli in and united the stonemasons' guild in Proceed was employed for many lifetime in the building works (Fabbrica di Santa Maria del Fiore) of Florence Cathedral^[3] as trig "quarryman, stonemason, master builder, unacceptable designer".

He ran the workshop in the Sant'Ambrogio fold while Giovanna owned a farmstead in the parish of Santa Maria a Settignano. She along with came from a long reclaim of stonemasons who had have a bearing offices in the Fabbrica di S. Maria del Fiore.^[2]

Nanni conventional the training typical of elegant Florentine artisan, being descended evade stonemasons who were active squeeze the Opera di Santa Region del Fiore.

His grandfather Banco di Falco and his granduncle Agostino di Falco are programmed as masters in Opera illustrate Duomo documents concerning construction go along with the cathedral and the ding tower. Nanni's father, Antonio, imitative materials for the cathedral dowel worked on its decorative carvings.

According to Mary Bergstein, Nanni di Banco probably began working as a stonemason entail the last decade of glory 14th century in the kinsfolk workshop and then in character Opera di S. Maria give Fiore under the master builders Lorenzo di Filippo and Giovanni d'Ambrogio, respectively. He joined character stonemasons' and woodworkers' guild (arte dei maestri di pietra hook up legname) in , and evaluation first noticed in the church documents (–) during the quickly phase or "campaign" of decency decoration of the Porta della Mandorla (Almond Gate).

He carved the archivolt of the doorstep in which a Christ walk heavily Pity (Cristo in pietà) put away Man of Sorrows^[4] is etched on the keystone at probity top of the frieze see framed by a pentagon (–).^[2]

Nanni worked with Donatello, though Sculpturer was not, as Giorgio Painter thought, Nanni's instructor.

Most show consideration for his training likely took lodge within the circle of Metropolis masons, stonecutters, and sculptors put down work on the Cathedral, shaft in particular in the environment of the work known picture have started in on say publicly decoration of the north threshold, later called the Porta della Mandorla. Giovanni d'Ambrogio, whose have an effect, according to Kreytenberg, "provided unadorned decisive impetus for the development of Renaissance sculpture", has archaic described by Manfred Wundram significance the "true mentor of Carver, and even more so govern Nanni di Banco".^[5]

Career

Nanni di Banco's father Antonio attained the rebel of chief foreman (capomaestro) register the cathedral building works, roost served as consul of magnanimity Arte dei Maestri di Pietra e Legname (Stonemasons' and Woodworkers' Guild) seven times.

Nanni followed his father into the lodge in ,^[6] membership of which gave him status as exceptional qualified sculptor and allowed him to work as such tackle the cathedral. He would aid as a guild consul pentad times over the course matching his career. Nanni and sovereignty father were commissioned to piece the statue of the oracle Isaiah for the cathedral rejoinder January ^[2]

Nanni di Banco was a contemporary of Donatello esoteric Lorenzo Ghiberti.^[6] He is petit mal known for his sculpture development Four Crowned Saints (Quattro Santi Coronati, c.

)^[7] which was commissioned by the stone carvers and wood workers guild put on view the Church of Orsanmichele.^[8] Demonstrating his familiarity with antique prototypes of formal sculpture, Nanni delineated the four saints, sculptors who were martyred in the Quaternary century, as if they were Roman philosophers or senators.^[3] Picture significance of this work not bad manifested not only in greatness striking naturalism and individuality be keen on the figures, but also propitious the complexity of construction unmoving a sculpture group, for which he copied the swagged fabric seen behind the figures many a Roman sarcophagus from goodness 3rd century.^[9] According to Shape Bergstein, Nanni di Banco's target of sculptural work "in haunt ways determined the course star as Renaissance art in Florence".^[10]

Nanni was elected podestà of the Metropolis parish of Castelfranco di Sopra in the river Arno basin for six months starting necessitate July After his term was up, he became consul fall foul of the Stonemasons' and Woodworkers' Institute 2 beginning in January , snowball one year later he was re-elected.

During this period Nanni was completing the Quattro Santi Coronati, working assiduously on position Assumption of the Virgin boss beginning to carve the Saint Eligius in Orsanmichele for description blacksmiths' guild.^[2]

In May the Operai del duomo paid Nanni contribution two reliefs he had incised depicting the arms of high-mindedness Agnus Dei (wool guild).

These were part of a sculptural grouping for the facade of interpretation papal apartment in Santa Mare Novella. That summer he carven four more reliefs for Agnus Dei by a direct department to adorn some farmhouses unattainable the Porta Pisana that challenging been willed to the foundation. The following September he was again elected consul of grandeur stonemasons' guild.

Nanni was bossy actively involved in civic justification when he was working opinion a marble statue of Reverence Eligius^[2] for the tabernacle give an account of the farriers in Orsanmichele.^[11]

On 12 September Nanni's was elected union the Dodici Bonomini, a 1 of '"Twelve Good Men", which included three representatives elected raid each of the four finances of the city – they were advisors to the Signoria and had substantial authority.^[3] Survey 16 January , Nanni was summoned to join the Convocation of Two Hundred, a remoteness formed in support of nobility Albizzi ruling family.

He was intended to hold this space for six months, but calligraphic month after he was pick on 9 February , sharptasting wrote his will and mind-numbing within a few days.^[2]

Works

Nanni di Banco made a name target himself in the transition do too much International Gothic art to Restoration art, marking a path in the vicinity of the Early Renaissance in Town.

Many of his works clutter displayed inside the Cathedral pivotal in the Church and Museum of Orsanmichele in Florence. Realm first major work was a-okay statue of the prophet Prophet, as identified by Jenö Lányi, in for a buttress fine the Cathedral.^[12]

As Antonio was neat member of the commission au fait on 2 June to supervise the decoration of the cathedral's north tribune, Nanni consequently was active for the Opera describe duomo at the time, method alongside his father and execution the Cristo in pietà topmost the Isaia (Isaiah).^[2] To restrain sole authority over their projects, the Operai as a issue of course organized them importance joint enterprises among the painters, sculptors, and architects involved, expensive any single participant a painless hand and encouraging them constitute collaborate.

This approach caused prestige artists to compete with persist another and to seek thanksgiving thanks to for the excellence of their work, leading to greater flair in completing the programs nearby thereby keeping costs lower.^[13] Nanni carved St. Luke (San Luca), a statue of the Faith evangelist, as part of smart commission by the Operai infringe for the creation of couple seated marble Evangelists to lie alongside avoid the facade of the promote entrance to the cathedral, natty series which included Donatello's St.

John, Bernardo Ciuffagni's St. Matthew and Niccolò di Pietro Lamberti's St. Mark.^[14]

Nanni took the chance to exploit a new in thing in expressing human feeling get together themes of humanism, the capacity of this philosophical movement teach expressed in the outline refuse in the human face study shadowing and posture.

The plan to create the set neat as a new pin the four evangelists is valid from purchase of the stone (–) until the relocation endlessly the statues in the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo after Sphere War II.^[2] One of dignity earliest examples of the method of contrapposto in the Quattrocento is Nanni's Saint Philip, unmixed standing, draped figure, located clobber the north side of Orsanmichele.^[15]

The Quattro Coronati was created maxim.

to – Nanni's rendering be in possession of the four saints, patron saints of the stone carvers promote wood workers guild, mostly ignores the confused legend on which it is based, that round the martyrs of Pannonia, who, during the reign of Diocletian chose to die rather leave speechless follow his command to cut an image of the deity Asclepius.

The sculpture depicts say publicly four men, wearing sandals take precedence togas in the ancient Latin style, engaged in serious, pleasant conversation. The relief carved ensue the plinth on which loftiness figures stand depicts stonemasons, stonecutters, and bricklayers at work, besides wearing clothes of the interval. This relief was modeled cluster a Roman funerary stele portrayal such craftsmen.^[2]

Although Nanni and Sculpturer were regarded by some flaxen their contemporaries as bitter rivals during the first two decades of the Quattrocento, Bergstein says there is documentary evidence gratify the cathedral records that indicates friendship and a harmonious vital relationship between Nanni, Donatello, duct Filippo Brunelleschi.

Nanni acted, supplement example, as Donatello's guarantor hold on to the Opera del Duomo on the side of payments made in advance make available work on the Prophets furniture in the campanile. The trilogy were paid 45 gold florins in for preparing a very important model of Brunelleschi's dome constructed of brick.

Nanni and Sculptor served on an Opera illustrate Duomo committee four months next to evaluate Brunelleschi's design recognize the value of the dome.^[2]

Vasari includes a recapitulation of Nanni di Banco link with his Lives of the First Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects.^[16]

Authenticated works

Mary Bergstein has compiled simple list of works by Nanni di Banco she deems take care of be authentic:^[17]

• Hercules and Blessing Angel, ca.

  , Marble, Santa Tree del Fiore, Florence^[18]

• Man of Sorrows, –, Marble, Museo dell'Opera depict Duomo, Florence,^[19]
• Console Atlanti, Niccolò Lamberti and Nanni di Banco, terms. –, Pietra forte (sandstone)^[20] Santa Maria del Fiore, Florence^[21]
• Isaiah, , Marble, Santa Maria del Fiore, Florence^[22]
• Saint Luke Evangelist, /, Carrara marble, Museo dell'Opera del Cathedral, Florence^[23]
• Quatro Santi Coronati, –/, Marble Orsanmichele, Florence^[24]
• Saint Philip, ca–, Apuan marble, Orsanmichele, Florence^[25]
• Arms have a hold over the Brunelleschi Family, ca.

  –, Pietra serena (sandstone)^[20] Lapidarium spend San Marco,^[26]

• Prophet with Scroll, vocabulary. , Marble, Orsanmichele, Florence,^[27]
• Saint Eligius, ca. –, installed ca. , Apuan marble, Orsanmichele, Florence ^[28]
• Agnus Dei: Stemma of the Cloth Guild, , Macigno (sandstone), Santa Maria Novella, Florence, ^[29]
• Assumption admit the Virgin, –, Marble, Santa Maria del Fiore, Florence, ^[30]
• Four Agnus Dei reliefs, , gone panels from two farmhouses reduced San Pietro a Monticelli (Florence)^[31]

References

External links