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La Modestie et la Vanité by Bernardino Luini
Jesus Christ by Bernardino Luini
Susanna and the Elders by Bernardino Luini
St. Sebastian by Bernardino Luini
Hercules and Atlas by Bernardino Luini
Madonna with the Christ Child by Bernardino Luini
The Mystical Marriage of Saint Catherine by Bernardino Luini
Madonna of the Carnation by Bernardino Luini
Salome with the Head of St. John the Baptist by Bernardino Luini
Portrait of a Lady by Bernardino Luini
Madonna of the Rose-bush by Bernardino Luini
The Holy Family by Bernardino Luini

Where to See Bernardino Luini

40 museums worldwide

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About Bernardino Luini

1480–1532

Milanese painter whose gentle, Leonardo-influenced style made him the most collected painter in northern Italy for nearly three centuries after his death in 1532[4].html","used_for":"museum holdings"}">[12]","author":null,"year":null,"publisher":null,"type":"wikipedia","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernardino_Luini","used_for":"biography"}">[4].

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Portrait of Bernardino Luini
Museums40
Countries15
Largest reported holdingLouvre, Paris · 15 recorded works
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Where to see Bernardino Luini

Collection holdings are reported here; current display varies. Check with each museum before visiting.

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Bernardino Luini prints

Hand-finished archival prints from Bernardino Luini's body of work.

Virgin and Child - Bernardino Luini - Poster Virgin and Child - Bernardino Luini From £28.00 The Virgin and Child with the Infant Saint John the Baptist - Bernardino Luini - Poster The Virgin and Child with the Infant Saint John the Baptist - Bernardino Luini From £28.00 Head of a Girl - Bernardino Luini - Poster Head of a Girl - Bernardino Luini From £28.00 Virgin and Child with the Infant Saint John the Baptist - Bernardino Luini - Poster Virgin and Child with the Infant Saint John the Baptist - Bernardino Luini From £28.00

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • 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).
  • Why are Bernardino Luini's works important today?
    Bernardino Luini[4].html","used_for":"museum holdings"}">[12] was active in Milan and the surrounding areas from 1512 until his death. His paintings remain important as examples of Lombard painting during the early 16th century. Luini's work shows the influence of Leonardo da Vinci, who had arrived in Milan by 1483. Although Luini could not match Leonardo’s analysis of character, his imitations of Leonardo’s style made him popular. Luini adopted Leonardesque compositions, and he may have owned Leonardo’s cartoon of *The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne*. Luini adapted Leonardo's designs in paintings such as *Saint Mary Magdalene* (National Gallery, Washington), and *Holy Family with Saint Anne and Saint John the Baptist* (Ambrosiana, Milan). Luini’s paintings also reflect the influence of Foppa, Bergognone, Zenale, Bramantino, and Solario. He is recorded in Rome in 1521, and may have travelled there around 1507-08. His commissions included fresco cycles for the basilica of San Giorgio al Palazzo (1516), the Chapel of Saint Joseph in Santa Maria della Pace (1518-20), and 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.
  • 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.
  • 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 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 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.

Sources

Where to See guide aggregates verified holdings of Bernardino Luini's works across the following collections.

  1. [1] museum Liechtenstein Museum Used for: museum holdings.
  2. [2] museum National Gallery of Armenia Used for: museum holdings.
  3. [3] academic The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, Bernardino Luini Used for: biography.
  4. [4] wikipedia Wikipedia: Bernardino Luini Used for: biography.
  5. [5] book Beard, Lee, 1973- author, Butler, Adam, author; Van Cleave, Claire, author; Fortenberry, Diane, author; Stirling, Susan, author, Beard, Lee, 1973- author, Butler, Adam, author; Van Cleave, Claire, author; Fortenberry, Diane, author; Stirling, Susan, author - The Art Book_ New Edition, Mini Format Used for: biography.
  6. [6] book Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Italian paintings XIV-XVI centuries in the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston Used for: biography.
  7. [7] book Masterpieces of western art : a history of art in 900 individual studies from the Gothic to the present day Used for: biography.
  8. [8] book Cuttler, Charles D, Northern painting from Pucelle to Bruegel: fourteenth, fifteenth, and sixteenth centuries Used for: stylistic analysis.
  9. [9] book Charles D. Cuttler, Northern Painting From Pucelle to Bruegel Fourteenth, Fifteenth, and Sixteenth Centuries Used for: stylistic analysis.
  10. [10] book Snyder, James, 1928-1990, Northern Renaissance art : painting, sculpture, the graphic arts from 1350 to 1575 Used for: stylistic analysis.
  11. [11] book Givens, Jean A.,Reeds, Karen M.,Touwaide, Alain., Visualizing Medieval Medicine and Natural History, 1200–1550 Used for: biography.
  12. [12] museum Bernardino Luini Used for: museum holdings.
  13. [13] museum Bernardino Luini (about 1480 - 1532) Used for: biography.
  14. [14] museum Luini, Bernardino - Colección - Museo Nacional del Prado Used for: museum holdings.
  15. [15] museum Salomè di Bernardino Luini Used for: notable works.

Editorial overseen by Solis Prints. Sources verified 2026-09-30. Click a source for details, or hover over [N] in the page above to preview.

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