Antonella da Massina
Born – Messina, Italy c.1430
Died – Messina, Italy c.1479
Antonella da Massina was a Sicilian, the only major southern Italian painter of the fifteenth century. He was greatly influenced by various aspects of the work of the Flemish painters, particularly their attention to detail and the play of light on surfaces. Although there is no evidence to suggest that he actually visited Flanders, he probably came across the work of artists from the Netherlands while working in Naples. In 1475 he went to Venice, where he passed on to Giovanni Bellini the oil painting technique that he had learnt from master such van Eyck. This knowledge was communicated in turn to many other contemporary painters, significantly influencing the future development of the Venetian school. Generally, the figures in Antonello’s work are bathed in strong light, highlighting their features and every tuck and fold of their robes. Portrait of a Young Man displays this virtuoso technique, giving the painting its intense realism. Other works, such as St Jerome in his Study, with its sweeping perspective on to a far distant landscape, show his ability to render a complex architectural construction.
Masterpieces:
- St Sebastian
- St Jerome in his Study
Text: The A-Z of Art, Nicola Hodge and Libby Anson.