Bonifacio De Pitati Biography
Bonifacio de' Pitati, known as Bonifacio Veronese (Verona, 1487 – Venice, 19 October 1553), was an Italian painter. Trained under the guidance of Palma the Elder and influenced by studies of the works of Titian and Giorgione, he made his debut with the Madonna and Child with Saints John, Jerome, Dorothy and Catherine (1520) (St. Petersburg), Lot and his daughters (1520 ) (Chrysler Museum of Art in Norfolk), the Adoration of the Shepherds (1525) (Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery), the Holy Family and the saints Anthony of Padua, Anthony the Abbot, Mary Magdalene, Anna and John the Baptist (1526) (Louvre) , in which the Nordic influence of the landscapes, the recurring themes of the saving mission of Christ and the emptiness of the world emerged. After the death of Palma the Elder, on 30 July 1528, Bonifacio Veronese completed some unfinished works by the master. According to historical documentation, he enrolled in the Painters' Brotherhood in 1530. During the same year he took care of the decoration of the Camerlenghi palace, which he completed fifteen years later, thanks to the collaboration of many students, including Tintoretto, Andrea Schiavone and Jacopo Bassano . Among the works we can mention the Christ Enthroned and Saints (1530) (Venice, Gallerie dell'Accademia), the Adoration of the Magi (Venice, Gallerie dell'Accademia), still characterized by Nordic influences, the Judgment of Solomon (1533 ), Massacre of the Innocents (1536), the Expulsion of the Merchants from the Temple (1536) (Venice, Gallerie dell'Accademia), the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes (1539) (Venice, Gallerie dell'Accademia), Fall of the Manna and of the rock partridges (1539) (Venice, Gallerie dell'Accademia). After getting to know the Roman mannerist school and the works of Raphael, his narrative qualities evolved into more complex compositional forms, reaching notable intense expressiveness. From the Sartori Altarpiece of 1533, the artist followed his stylistic path, while taking into account the creative rise of Tintoretto, passing through works with a religious background, such as the Finding of Moses and the Return of the Prodigal Son to arrive at the Convitto of the rich Epulone, characterized by a varied and rich color and a serene atmosphere. Around 1548, Bonifacio Veronese was still active in religious-themed works, but in the following years he reduced his work, delegating the creation of the last works to the Camerlenghi to his students and collaborators. He died in Venice, in the district of San Marcuola, on 19 October 1553.
