Giorgione was born Giorgio Barbarelli in Castelfranco, on the outskirts of Venice, Italy. Early records of the artist indicate that he moved to Venice and apprenticed with Giovanni Bellini for a while. One of his earliest works is the Castelfranco Madonna, an altarpiece he made for his hometown.
Giorgione painted portraits for the Doge (Duke) Agostino Barbarigo of Venice and Italian captain Consalvo Ferrante in 1500. He was commissioned to paint the palace walls of the Hall of Audience. Giorgio worked on many notable frescoes, including a major one on the exterior of the German Merchants’ Hall in Venice.
Giorgione was noted as a tall and handsome man with a charm. His paintings were biblical and classical, usually with no underlying story. The impact of Giorgione’s art on Venice is likened to the exposure Leonardo da Vinci brought to Tuscan. Giorgione and his younger colleague, Titan, founded the Venitian School of Italian Renaissance painting. Giorgione died of a plague on 17 September 1510.
What was Giorgione Known For?
Giorgione was known for the moody elements in his paintings. He is recorded to have worked on numerous murals and wall paintings. His paintings often leave interpretations to the viewer. Giorgione’s famous painting, The Tempest, has been referred to as the first landscape in Western painting.
Who was Giorgione Infuenced By?
Giorgione was influenced by his tutor, Giovanni Bellini. He was influenced by painting styles from Northern Europe and also Florentine paintings.
What Art Movement was Giorgione Associated With?
Giorgione was associated with the High Renaissance art movement, which was peculiar to the Venitian school. Giorgio’s work set a precedent for the paintings of the Renaissance and Baroque periods, and he influenced a generation of Venitian Painters like Morto da Feltre, Domenico Capriolo, and Domenico Mancini.
Giorgione’s Artwork
Below are some of the artworks of Giorgione.
The Tempest
Portrait of a young man
Sleeping Venus
The old woman
Pastoral concert
Homage to a poet
A man in armour
Adoration of the Shepherds
Double portrait
Judith
Portrait of a gentleman
Laura
Madonna of the meadow
Portrait of a warrior and his equerry
The impassioned singer
The judgement of Solomon
The test of fire of Moses