Bernardino Luini

• Susanna and the Elders

  Liechtenstein Museum

  Vienna, Austria

  1 works

  Museum detailsMap
• St. Sebastian

  National Gallery of Armenia

  Yerevan, Armenia

  1 works

  Museum detailsMap

Plan your visit to see Bernardino Luini →

• What is Bernardino Luini known for?+

  Bernardino Luini^[4].html","used_for":"museum holdings"}">[12] is known for his paintings of tender Madonnas and saints in rich colours. He used subtle skill to create soft contours. His paintings were among the most admired in northern Italy for three centuries.
• What is Bernardino Luini's most famous work?+

  Bernardino Luini^[4].html","used_for":"museum holdings"}">[12], born around 1480^[4], was a Lombard painter active primarily in Milan and the surrounding areas. While it is difficult to name one single "most famous" work, several of his pieces are particularly well known and representative of his style. Luini's large fresco cycles are significant. These include the cycle for the Chapel of Saint Joseph in Santa Maria della Pace (c. 1518-20, now in the Brera, Pinacoteca), the frescoes for the Casa Rabia (c. 1523, now in Washington and Berlin), and the extensive wall decoration of the Benedictine monastery of San Maurizio (1525-1530^[4]). Also notable are his fresco programs in the sanctuary of the Beata Vergine dei Miracoli at Saronno and the church of Santa Maria degli Angeli in Lugano, both executed during the same five-year period. Panel paintings such as *The Executioner Presents John the Baptist’s Head to Herod* (Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence) are well known. The *Pieta*, now in the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, has also been recognised as an important work. The composition addresses the presentation of Christ's body and blood.
• What should I know about Bernardino Luini's prints?+

  Bernardino Luini^[4].html","used_for":"museum holdings"}">[12] (circa 1480^[4]-1532^[4]) was a north Italian painter from what is now Lombardy. He is known for paintings, not prints; information about his prints is scarce. He was a follower of Leonardo da Vinci, and his paintings often show a Leonardesque sweetness. To learn more about Italian prints of this period, it may be useful to broaden your search. Consider researching contemporary printmakers or focusing on the workshops active in Milan during Luini's lifetime. Milan was a significant artistic centre, and prints were being produced there. Also, museum catalogues can be a good source of information. Catalogues often include detailed entries on individual prints, discussing their historical context, technique, and significance. These resources might provide a clearer picture of printmaking during Luini's era and region.
• What style or movement did Bernardino Luini belong to?+

  Bernardino Luini^[4].html","used_for":"museum holdings"}">[12] was a Milanese painter whose style was heavily influenced by Leonardo da Vinci; Leonardo had arrived in Milan by 1483. Luini adopted Leonardesque forms and compositions. Although Luini could not match Leonardo’s analysis of character, his imitations made him a popular painter in Milan. Luini's work also reflects the influence of Foppa, Bergognone, and Zenale. He may have travelled to Rome around 1507-08, and perhaps knew early works by Raphael. A stay in Venice has also been suggested. From 1512 until his death, Luini executed many frescoes and panel paintings in Milan and the regions of Lakes Como and Lugano. His popularity is confirmed by the importance of his commissions and the many contemporary copies of his works. Examples of his commissions are the pictorial cycle for the Corpus Domini chapel in the basilica of San Giorgio al Palazzo (documented to 1516), a fresco cycle for the Chapel of Saint Joseph in Santa Maria della Pace (circa 1518-20), and wall decorations for the Benedictine monastery of San Maurizio (1525 and 1530).
• What techniques or materials did Bernardino Luini use?+

  Luini's techniques involved the application of colour in multiple layers. When working on cloth, he often applied colour twice, using size as a binder for the initial layers. For the final layer, he employed white or egg as a binder. This multi-layered approach was necessary because cloth and sindone were porous and absorbent. Luini burnished the surface of the canvas after the first layer to prepare it for subsequent layers. This process involved polishing the surface with a tooth or hard stone to smooth out any roughness. He then repainted the same areas, using a mordant or colour tempered with white or egg for the final coat. Luini sometimes used linseed oil as a paint binder. In some instances, he combined drying oils with egg, creating a mixed-media approach. He also used azurite, lead white, carbon black, red lacquer, and transparent verdigris.
• What was Bernardino Luini known for?+

  Bernardino Luini^[4].html","used_for":"museum holdings"}">[12], born circa 1480^[4]-85 in Luino, was a painter active in Milan and the areas around Lakes Como and Lugano. His career extended from 1512 until his death. Although details of his early life remain scarce, his work shows the impact of Foppa, Bergognone, and Zenale. Luini adopted Leonardesque styles and compositions, influenced by Bramantino and Solario. Historical accounts suggest he possibly owned Leonardo da Vinci's cartoon of *The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne*. He may have visited Rome around 1507-08 and Venice, though this is debated. His earliest works include a *Madonna and Child with Saints* (Musée Jacquemart-André, Paris) and a fresco at Geranzano. His first documented painting is a fresco from 1512 in the Abbey of Chiaravalle. Other Milanese works include fresco cycles for the Corpus Domini chapel in San Giorgio al Palazzo (1516), the Chapel of Saint Joseph in Santa Maria della Pace (1518-20), and the Casa Rabia (circa 1523). He also completed wall decorations for the Benedictine monastery of San Maurizio (1525-1530^[4]), the sanctuary of the Beata Vergine dei Miracoli at Saronno, and the church of Santa Maria degli Angeli in Lugano. Luini's religious paintings were esteemed in Milan, particularly by Cardinal Federico Borromeo.
• When did Bernardino Luini live and work?+

  Bernardino Luini^[4].html","used_for":"museum holdings"}">[12] was probably born in Luino around 1480^[4]-1485. He died in or before 1532^[4]. From 1512 until his death, Luini completed many frescoes and panel paintings in Milan and around Lakes Como and Lugano. His paintings show the influence of Foppa, Bergognone, and Zenale. He also adopted elements from Bramantino, Solario, and Leonardo da Vinci. According to a reference, Luini may have owned Leonardo’s cartoon of *The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne*. Luini is recorded in Rome in 1521. Some believe he travelled there around 1507-08, where he saw early works by Raphael. Others have argued for a period in Venice. Two paintings dated 1507 have been considered examples of Luini’s early style. These are *Madonna and Child with Saints* (Musée Jacquemart-André, Paris) and a fresco in the church of the Beata Vergine del Soccorso at Geranzano. The latter is more generally accepted as his work. His first documented painting is a fresco of 1512 in the Abbey of Chiaravalle. Between 1525 and 1530, Luini decorated the Benedictine monastery of San Maurizio. During this time, he also worked at the sanctuary of the Beata Vergine dei Miracoli at Saronno and the church of Santa Maria degli Angeli in Lugano.
• Where can I see Bernardino Luini's work?+

  Bernardino Luini^[4].html","used_for":"museum holdings"}">[12]'s paintings can be found in several European museums. In Florence, the Galleria degli Uffizi holds his painting, *The Executioner Presents John the Baptist’s Head to Herod*. In Milan, the Pinacoteca di Brera has examples of his work. Other museums with paintings by Luini include: the Musée Fesch (Ajaccio, Corsica), The Baltimore Museum of Art, Staatliche Museen (Berlin, East), Staatliche Museen (Berlin, West), Barber Institute of Fine Arts, University of Birmingham, Museum of Fine Arts (Boston), Musée des Beaux-Arts (Caen), Fogg Art Museum, Harvard University (Cambridge, Massachusetts), Musée Condé (Chantilly), Devonshire Collection (Chatsworth, Derbyshire), Musée des Beaux-Arts (Cherbourg), The Art Institute of Chicago, The Royal Museum of Fine Arts (Copenhagen), The Detroit Institute of Arts, Collection Mrs. Derek Schreiber (Dorking, Surrey), and Staatliche Kunstsammlungen (Dresden).
• Where was Bernardino Luini from?+

  Bernardino Luini^[4].html","used_for":"museum holdings"}">[12] was likely from Luino, a town near Lake Maggiore in the Lombardy region of northern Italy. It is estimated he was born there around 1480^[4]-1485. Active primarily in Milan and the surrounding areas, including Lakes Como and Lugano, Luini produced many frescoes and panel paintings. While details of his early life and training remain scarce, his art shows the influence of painters such as Foppa, Bergognone, and Zenale. He also adopted elements from Bramantino, Solario, and Leonardo da Vinci, particularly Leonardesque figures and compositions. Luini's presence in Rome is documented in 1521, and some believe he travelled there around 1507-1508^[4]. This trip may have allowed him to study early works by Raphael. A period in Venice has also been suggested by some scholars. His earliest known works include a fresco at Geranzano, signed "BAZERNARDINO DE [V]JAGIS", and a Madonna and Child with Saints signed "BERNARDINUS MEDIOLANENSIS". The former is generally accepted as his work, while the attribution of the latter has been debated.
• Who did Bernardino Luini influence?+

  Bernardino Luini^[4].html","used_for":"museum holdings"}">[12] (c. 1480^[4]-85 to 1532^[4]) was part of the Milanese group that included Ambrogio de’ Predis and Bernardino de’ Conti. His work shows the influence of Foppa, Bergognone, and Zenale. Luini adopted Leonardesque styles and compositions, and he may have owned Leonardo da Vinci’s cartoon of *The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne*. Luini’s religious works were prized in Milan during the later sixteenth century, especially by Archbishop Cardinal Federico Borromeo, founder of the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana. His popularity is confirmed by the many contemporary copies of his paintings. Although Luini could not match Leonardo’s analysis of character, his imitations of Leonardo’s work made him one of the most popular Milanese painters of his time.
• Who influenced Bernardino Luini?+

  Bernardino Luini^[4].html","used_for":"museum holdings"}">[12] (c. 1480^[4]-85 to 1532^[4]) was an Italian painter active in Milan and the surrounding areas. The precise details of his early life and training remain uncertain; however, his artistic style shows the influence of several artists. Foppa, Bergognone, and Zenale are considered formative influences. Luini also adopted elements from Bramantino and Solario. Leonardo da Vinci had a significant impact, with Luini adopting Leonardesque compositions. Some scholars suggest Luini owned Leonardo’s cartoon of *The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne*. Luini’s paintings of sacred subjects have been connected to the ecclesiastic reform movement based at the Augustinian convent of Santa Marta in Milan during the 1510s. His religious works were highly prized in Milan during the later sixteenth century, especially by Archbishop Cardinal Federico Borromeo.
• Who was Bernardino Luini?+

  Bernardino Luini^[4].html","used_for":"museum holdings"}">[12] (c. 1480^[4]-1532^[4]) was a north Italian painter, active in Milan and the surrounding areas. Art historians consider him among the foremost members of the Leonardeschi: artists who followed Leonardo da Vinci. His early training is unclear. Some scholars suggest he trained with Stefano Scotto, others with Ambrogio Bergognone. His early style suggests the influence of Vincenzo Foppa and Bramantino. Around 1509, after Leonardo's return to Milan, Luini adopted elements of Leonardo's style. He softened his colours, used sfumato (smoky shading), and adopted Leonardesque figure types. Luini's paintings include both fresco cycles and oil on panel. Noteworthy works include the frescoes in the Villa Pelucca (now in the Brera, Milan), and the frescoes in Santa Maria dei Miracoli in Saronno. Other significant paintings are the altarpiece at Legnano, and "Christ among the Doctors" at the National Gallery, London. Although highly regarded in his time, Luini's reputation declined somewhat in later centuries. Some critics considered him an imitator of Leonardo, lacking originality. More recent scholarship recognises his individual qualities: his narrative skill, his decorative sense, and his ability to adapt Leonardo's style to Lombard taste. He had several sons who were also painters.