Biography

A native of Brescia, where he may have studied, Romanino certainly received artistic training in Venice and Milan. His Venetian experience instilled in him an interest in the colouristic paintings of Titian and Giorgione, but also brought him into contact with the expressive work of the German artist Albrecht Dürer. His studies in Milan exposed him to Bramante’s work and the rules of perspective. Romanino’s paintings display an eclectic mix of these influences, and he was considered rather eccentric by his contemporaries. He was, however, a highly original and talented artist, often making conscious changes to his style. A keen traveller, he spent much of his career exploring the artistic centres of northern Italy, creating altarpieces and frescoes, and absorbing a wide range of influences.