Domenico Ghirlandaio
Domenico Ghirlandaio was a prominent Italian painter of the 15th century, renowned for his large fresco paintings that are celebrated for their detail, vibrant colors, and narrative depth. Born in Florence in 1449, he initially trained in the family goldsmith business but soon gravitated towards painting, likely influenced by notable Florentine artists such as Alesso Baldovinetti and Andrea del Verrocchio. Ghirlandaio’s artistic approach emphasized the use of fast-drying watercolors, allowing him to achieve realism quickly in his fresco works, which adorned churches and public spaces throughout Italy.
His signature style included bright colors and a unique use of chiaroscuro, which gave his subjects a three-dimensional quality against darker backgrounds. Ghirlandaio's expansive career included commissions from wealthy patrons, resulting in detailed portraits and poignant religious scenes, some of which featured patrons’ faces among biblical figures. He established a successful studio that trained future artists, including Michelangelo, and contributed significantly to the cultural movement of the Renaissance. Ghirlandaio's legacy endures in the many frescoes and paintings that continue to adorn Italian architecture, offering modern viewers insight into the society of his time.
Domenico Ghirlandaio
Painter
- Born: 1449
- Place of Birth: Florence, Italy
- Died: January 11, 1494
- Place of Death: Florence, Italy
Significance: Domenico Ghirlandaio was a fifteenth-century Italian painter who specialized in large fresco paintings. His works were generally highly detailed, vividly colored, and richly narrative. Ghirlandaio most often painted religious scenes in churches and portraits for wealthy patrons.
Background
Domenico Ghirlandaio was born in 1449 in Florence, Italy. At the time of his birth, his full name was Domenico di Tommaso Curradi di Doffo Bigordi. As a young man, he gained the nickname Ghirlandaio, which means "garland maker," because his father was a goldsmith renowned for the gold and silver garland-like necklaces he crafted.
Ghirlandaio most likely grew up in and around the goldsmith shop and probably served as an apprentice there. He did not seem to have a strong proclivity toward the goldsmith trade, however, and spent much of his time sketching portraits of his father's clients. That would be the first sign that Domenico Ghirlandaio's calling in life was art. His brothers, Benedetto and Davide, also took to art, and the three would eventually work together in the same studio.
During his youth, Ghirlandaio decided to pursue painting. His studies and earliest tasks are poorly recorded. Many historians believe he most likely trained under Alesso Baldovinetti, an established painter in Florence. He may have studied with Andrea del Verrocchio, whose unique style seems to have influenced some of Ghirlandaio's early paintings. Ghirlandaio also seemed to draw inspiration from the fresco artist Andrea del Castagno.
Life's Work
Although the details of Ghirlandaio's early life and education are sparse, he clearly learned much from other Florentine artists. He adopted many painting approaches of his teachers, but augmented them with his own flourishing visual style and innovative techniques. Whereas most of the painters who inspired him spent long hours laboring to capture realism with slow-drying paints, Ghirlandaio strove to capture similar realism with fast-drying watercolors. An early art historian, Giorgio Vasari, described his work as "pronto, presto, e facile"—basically, "ready, easy, and fast."
Most of Ghirlandaio's early work, as with his later work, would be in frescoes. In fifteenth-century Italy, many churches, public meeting areas, and even the homes of the wealthy were adorned with beautiful and vivid fresco paintings. A fresco is a large watercolor painting applied directly to a freshly plastered wall or ceiling. As the plaster dries and sets, the watercolors sink in and become permanent. The paint and the plaster both dried relatively quickly, leaving a permanent and unchangeable mark, so quick work was essential. Ghirlandaio occasionally also painted by more traditional means, with regular paints on wooden panels and canvases, but these were usually only as centerpieces for his larger fresco projects.
Along with his fast-moving techniques, Ghirlandaio developed a unique painting style. He employed bright and bold colors to his paintings. Some contemporary critics felt that his color choices were a bit extravagant, but their effects on Ghirlandaio's paintings are remarkable. His colors create beautiful and strikingly vivid images. Moreover, they make his subjects seem to rise out of the painting, standing out against the often-dark backgrounds. Ghirlandaio's method of balancing light and dark in a painting is known as chiaroscuro.
Ghirlandaio also became renowned for the level of detail he worked into his paintings, despite many being executed with fast-drying materials. Many of Italy's leading citizens commissioned Ghirlandaio to paint their portraits, and in doing so, he captured many fine details of their faces, bodies, clothing, and visual mannerisms. These details provide modern historians and art fans with a glimpse into Italian society hundreds of years ago. In addition, Ghirlandaio carefully studied and sketched fine architecture, antiques, and other beautiful objects that frequently appeared in his paintings.
Ghirlandaio most likely began his professional career doing major works around 1472. Many of Ghirlandaio's earlier works were frescoes done in churches throughout Florence. His brothers and other members of his studio worked with him on some of these projects. Ghirlandaio quickly branched off and took dozens of other commissions around Italy. He created icons of saints, frescoes showing milestones in the life of Jesus (including a crucifixion scene in which the mourners carry the faces of Ghirlandaio's wealthy patrons), and portraits of prominent citizens as well as some regular people.
By the end of his career, Ghirlandaio had established a thriving studio that included his brothers, his brother-in-law Sebastiano Mainardi, and a host of trainees including Michelangelo and other soon-to-be legendary painters. This group worked in some of Italy's most prestigious places, including the Palazzo Vecchio (the Florence town hall), the Sistine Chapel in Rome, and the Collegiate Church of San Gimignano in Siena. Much of their work still adorns the walls, ceilings, and altars of countless Italian churches, where it is studied and admired by thousands.
Impact
Domenico Ghirlandaio's work added to the great cultural rebirth known as the Renaissance. His mastery of color, detail, and realism, often executed in the challenging medium of fresco, created memorable and timeless works of art. Many of his paintings and those of his studio still exist in churches and public buildings throughout Italy. They inspire and enlighten viewers and help historians understand the faces and scenes of fifteenth-century Italy. In addition, Ghirlandaio's teachings and legacy helped to inspire future Italian artists, most notably Michelangelo.
Personal Life
Ghirlandaio spent much of his life working with his brothers, Davide and Benedetto. He married twice and had several children. His son, Ridolfo, was trained by Davide and became a noted artist.
Bibliography
Cadogan, Jean K. Domenico Ghirlandaio: Artist and Artisan. Yale UP, 2001.
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"Domenico Ghirlandaio (Domenico Bigordi)." Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza, www.museothyssen.org/en/collection/artists/ghirlandaio-domenico. Accessed 10 Oct. 2024.
Franklin, David. Painting in Renaissance Florence, 1500–1550. Yale UP, 2001.
"Ghirlandaio, Domenico." National Gallery of Art, www.nga.gov/Collection/artist-info.1336.html. Accessed 10 Oct. 2024.
"Ghirlandaio, Domenico." Web Gallery of Art, www.wga.hu/frames-e.html?/html/g/ghirland/domenico/index.html. Accessed 10 Oct. 2024.
Kecks, Ronald G. Domenico Ghirlandaio. Octavo Franco Cantini, 1998.
Kuiper, Kathleen. The 100 Most Influential Painters & Sculptors of the Renaissance. Rosen Education Service, 2010.