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Pisanello Facts

Pisanello Facts
Pisanello was one of the most famous painters of the Quattrocento, a term that refers to the early 15th century artistic and cultural events in Italy. He was born Antonio di Puccio Pisano in approximately 1395, in Pisa, Italy. His father was Pucio di Giovanni, a native Pisan, and his mother was Isabetta a native of Verona, Italy. Pisanello was raised by his mother in Verona after his father died, but nothing else is known of his younger years. It is believed that Pisanello was once a student of Stefano da Verona, an acclaimed painter at the time. From 1415 to 1420 Pisanello studied under Illuminator Gentile da Fabriano, and then went on to work for the Gonzaga family from 1422 until the late 1440s. Unfortunately the frescoes he painted early in his career with Gentile da Fabriano and those commissioned by Fillippo Maria Visconti no longer exist.
Interesting Pisanello Facts:
Pisanello was also known professionally as Antonio di Puccio da Cereto, and as Antonio di Puccio Pisano. References to Pisanello as Vittore Pisano are in error.
Pisanello's drawings express the elegance of the time, and are considered Quattrocentro jewels.
Pisanello's drawings are not considered to be the sketches of future paintings, but are considered to be art on their own.
Pisanello created a number of frescoes including several on the walls of Ducal Palace's Great Council Hall. They were repainted in 1479. He also created frescoes with Stefan da Verona at the Basilica of St. John Lateran and at Doge's Palace in Venice.
Pisanello is considered to be the most important early 15th century commemorative portrait medalist.
Pisanello's Annunciation fresco in the church of St. Fermo, Verona, above the Brenzoni tomb, is signed and dated 1424-1426.
When Gentile da Fabriano died in 1427, Pisanello returned to complete the frescoes he had begun in St. John Lateran.
In the 17th century all the frescoes at the Basilica of St. John Lateran were destroyed because the Basilica was rebuilt.
Pisanello was accused of offences against Venice in 1439 because he was a member of the court of Mantua when Venice recovered Verona. He was sentenced to prison but his mother's death in 1442 made it possible for him to leave Venice and return to Verona.
Some of the famous medals created by Pisanello include the 1443 medal commemorating the marriage of Lionello d'Este and Maria of Aragon, the 1445 medal for Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta of Rimini, and the 1449 medal of King Alfonso III of Aragon.
Many of the drawings Pisanello created prior to creating his fresco Saint George and the Princess of Trebizond, at the church of Sant'Anastasia in the Pellegrini Chapel are now on display at the Louvre in Paris. The fresco itself was damaged by water leaking in the late 1800s. It was restored.
In his later life Pisanello spent a great deal of time in Naples where he was a member of the court of Aragon. Not much is known about his death but it is believed he died in October of 1455.


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