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Portrait of Francesco Bonsignori (Rijksmuseum, Netherland)

Francesco Bonsignori

Francesco Bonsignori (c. 1455 – July 2, 1519), also known as Francesco Monsignori, was an Italian painter and draughtsman, characterized by his excellence on religious subjects, portraits, architectural perspective and animals. He was born in Verona and died in Caldiero, a city near Verona. Bonsignori’s style in early period was under the influence of his teacher Liberale da Verona After moving to Mantua in 1487, his style was influenced by Andrea Montegna as his scholar.

Family

Francesco Bonsignori was born in Verona in 1455, as the eldest among three sons of Bonsignori family. His father Albertus Bonsignori was a well-known amateur painter. In childhood, Francesco was the most artistically talented one of the four children. His brothers, Bernardino (c. 1476 - 1520) and Girolamo (c. 1479 - unknown) also became painters. Specifically, his brother Girolamo was highly appraised for his fine copy of Leonard da Vinci’s last supper (previously at Milan, now in France) of the order of the Dominicans.

Apprenticeships and early career

Apprenticeship under Liberale da Verona

Bonsignori was the pupil and apprenticed under the influence of Liberale de Verona until the age of 32. Liberale da Verona have contributed to the spread of the Squarcione style to Siena, and played important role on influencing some Sienese painters such as Girolamo da Cremona. His appreciation towards style of Francesco Squarcione, founder of the Paduan school and teacher of Andrea Mantegna also influenced Bonsignori’s early style and taste. Liberale da Verona was well-known for painting frescoes and altarpieces. Although he was renowned for his inventiveness and verve, his latter works expose the shortage of consistent innovation and originality contrary to his earlier period.

 Bonsignori: Captive Kings before a Judge. York Museums Trust. (1480)

Early Period

Fewer than a dozen drawings attributed to Bonsginori have come down to current generation. Account of his life is mainly resourced from official documents from Gonzaga court in Mantua and Giorgio Vasari’s book. However, most of his paintings mentioned with Vasari’s account have perished. Bonsignori bares another name “Monsignori”, as he was miscalled by Vasari in his book. His alter name have appeared in several documentations from Renaissance period, while Francesco signed all his committed artwork “Bonsignori”.

His paintings portraying animals often deceived dogs and birds. Thus, he was also renowned as “Modern Zeuxis”, referred to an ancient Greek animal painter. His early career is the most completely documented period of his life. In 1483, he produced his first signed work Virgin and Child (Verona, Castelvecchio). The style utilized in this work is similar to that of Madonna with Saints (Gemäldegalerie, Berlin), completed by his teacher Liberale de Verona.

During his early career, he had limited characteristics in his paintings in terms of composition, form and coloring. He was constantly inspired by different artists, including his early models Giovanni Bellini, Alvise Vivari and Antonello da Messina. He was identifiably characterized by his concentration on human figures in devotional picture and portraits. Landscape and architectural settings in the background are often less significant in his paintings. Although Bonsignori had limited characteristics in terms of composition, forms and coloring as he drew inspiration and identifiably influenced from various artists, he formed his unique and individual style in his early period.

Middle period

Gonzaga family  

Bonsignori was employed by Gonzaga family as a portrait painter and in charge of decorations of their palace at Marmirolo and Gonzaga. His life-long patron, friend and admirer Francesco Gonzaga, 4^th Marquess of Mantua commissioned several works until his death in 1519. He lived at the court of Francesco, Marquis of Mantua since 1487. Vasari remarks the affectionate and warm relationship between Gongaza and Bonsignori suggested in the Chalk drawing of Francesco Gongaza (c.1495, National Gallery, Dublin)

There is no official document mentioning Bonsignori between 1495 and July 1506.

Mantegna and Bonsignori: Madonna and Child, Philbrook Museum of Art, Tulsa, OK (1491)

Bonsignori: Madonna and Child, Museo di Castelvecchio, Verona (1484)

Andrea Mantegna

Since Mantegna spent most of his life working for the Gonzaga family and decorating their castles with frescoes and canvases (which now have perished) in a small town in Mantua, he did not produce much paintings but still devoted time to his workshop and traditional apprenticeship.

Bonsignori was already a master of some reputation when in 1490 he came to Mantua and joined Mantegna’s workshop. Between1491 and 1492, Bonsignori worked as Mantegna’s assistant at Marmirolo, Mantua. They devoted to produce several artworks together during this period. In 1491, The Napoleon Madonna – Madonna and child (Messers. G. Wildenstein & Co., London) was painted by Mantegna with Bonsignori’s assistance. The origin of this new painting of Madonna can be traced back to the collection of the Palais Royal in Paris. It was sold by Prince Jerome Napoleon is 1872, and exhibited in Burlington House in 1880 and 1894. It’s difficult to determine the exact share of each of the two painters in this artwork. However, it’s certain that Mantua designed and outlined the composition initially. Mantegna also painted the Child and the medallion on the parapet in his studio since the characterized Mantegnesque manner is obvious. The composition of the Napoleon Madonna is exact same to the Madonna and Child (Kaiser Friedrich Museum, Berlin) which Mantegna completed in his middle period. He then left the painting unfinished as he was busy in the 1490s when this painting had been completed. His assistant Bonsignori completed the task of finishing the picture. The similar collaboration can be observed in the Portrait of a Warrior in the Widener Collection (Lynnewood Hall, Philadelphia), where Bonsignori executed this portrait while Mantegna designed and painted in his studio.

During his apprenticeship under Mantegna, Bonsignori also completed his paintings, the Head of a Female Saint (Poldi-Pezzoli Museum, Milan), the Portrait of Youth (Metropolitan museum, New York) and the Madonna with four Saints (1490-1510, The National Gallery, London). The facial expressions of human figures in the pictures are identifiably similar to that of the Napoleon Madonna, which clearly signifies the influence of Mantegna on his style. The certain morphological details such as nose, mouse and eyes are painted identically in terms of modelling and shape.

He painted historical subjects. Less learned and correct in his design than Mantegna, he is more modern in his style and his coloring, particularly in the carnations has more of the morbidezza. He is excelled in painting animals that he was fond of introducing in the background of his artworks. His animal paintings occasionally deceived other animals, he was called “the modern Zeuxis”. One of his pictures representing “St. Louis” is well-preserved in the Brera at Milan. There are some perspective views in the refectory of the church of the Franciscans at Mantua, manifesting that he was a perfect master of that branch of art.

Evolution of styles in Madonna and Child

Bonsignori: Madonna and Child with Saints Lawrence and Margaret of Antioch. Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum. (1483-1484)

The early compositions of Madonna by Bonsignori are Virgin and Child (c.1483, Castelvecchio, Verona), followed by the dal Bovo Altarpiece, depicting the Virgin and Child Enthroned with Saints, (c.1484, Verona, Castelvecchio). They exemplify the earliest version of representing Madonna and Child, with typical characteristic of formation of arc behind the head of Madonna. The skills are immature, as Bonsignori is still not familiar with linear perspective in his early career. He fails to represent haloes and trees in three-dimensional form. The background is desolated and less significant, which is a typical Bonsignori’s style in his early period. The painting is also geometrically symmetry, which restricts the expression of freedom and natural beauty. The modelling of the drapery on Onophrius, Jerome, Bishop Saint and Altobella Avogadro is plastic and hard. The facial expression of Madonna is gentle and warm, which differentiates Bonsignori from others in the 15^th century, such as Andrea Montegna, Giovanni Bellini and Alvise Vivari who painted Madonna with solemnness and impassiveness. It’s obvious that Bonsignori hasn’t been influenced by Mantegna’s style before moving to Mantua in 1487.

Bonsignori: The Virgin and Child with Four Saints. The National Gallery, London. (Between circa 1490 and circa 1510)

The Napoleon Madonna features the last step of evolution in Madonna paintings, as well as progress on [null Bonsignori]’s skills. Madonna with the Child are sitting on the parapet, which clearly suggest the influence of Mantegna’s style. The Madonna and Child (Kaiser Friedrich Museum, Berlin) concentrates on human figures. The background is a dark, neutral background with a garland of fruits hanging behind Madonna. Contrarily, Napoleon Madonna gives impression of freedom as there are abundant spaces on all four sides of the painting. Instead of focusing on the figures, Mantegna and Bonsignori presented landscape in the background, which reinforced perfect freedom and playful atmosphere. The treatment of folds in the drapery is much softer, indicating advanced skill Bonsignori had during his middle period. The medallion on the parapet are added to balance the fruits and ribbon, also representing sense of symmetry. The Child is painted with coquettish attitude rather than distant and severe facial expression from Mantegna’s style in middle period. This sense of freedom and elegance of this composition is typical of Bonsigori’s style, and also signifies Mantegna’s change of style in his late career.

Late period and mature of style (1507-1519)

In Christ carrying the cross (1510, Mantua, Pal.Ducale), his style recalls Mantegna as well as Lorenzo Costa, the successor of Mantegna as the court painter of Gonzuga in terms of color and forms.

His last production was The Adoration of the Blessed Osanna Andreasi (1519, Palazzo Ducale, Mantua) and now in the Academy at Mantua.

Major works

Bonsignori: Portrait of an Elderly Man, also deduced as Portrait of a Venetian Senator. The National Gallery, London. (1487)

Profile of warrior - Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore

Christ bearing Cross, and Saint Veronica -  Bargello Carrand Collection, Florence

Furniture panel: Apollo and Daphne - Berenson Collection, Florence

Portrait of an elderly man - 1487 The National Gallery, London

Way to Golgotha.L. Visions of Blessed Osanna Andeasi, with Isabella d’Este - Palazzo Ducale, Mantua

Bust of elderly man - J.G. Johnson Collection, Philadelphia

Bust of youthful Savior - J.G. Johnson Collection, Philadelphia

Madonna and sleeping Child - 1483, Verona

Madonna and Child enthroned with SS. Onophrius, Jerome, Christopher, Bishop Saint and Altobella Avigadro, widow of Donato Dal Bovo - 1484, Museo di Castelvecchio, Verona

Two Angels holding curtain - Fresco: S. Anastasia, over sacristy door, Verona

Bonsignori, Francesco: The Lamentation with a Benedictine Donor. The Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology.

Madonna and Child enthroned with SS. Jerome and George - 1488, S. Bernardino, Cappella Dei Banda, Verona

Madonna and Child in Glory and SS. Blaise, Sebastian and Juliana (predella by Girolamo dei Libri) - 1514-19, SS. Nazaro E Celso, Verona

Madonna and Child with SS. Anthony Abbot and Mary Magdalen - S. Paolo, First chapel R., Verona

Crucifixion - S. Lorenzo, fourth alter, R. transept – Vicenza

Predella panel: Two captive kings before a judge – York

Bust of Petrus Leonius – Homeless

The lamentation with a Benedictine Donor - The Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology, Oxford

Madonna and Child - (1491) tempera on canvas The Samuel H. Kress Collection, Philbrook Museum of Art, Tulsa, OK

Head of female saint - canvas Poldi-Pezzoli museum, Milan

Reference

Bonsignori: Saint Sebastiano (Arezzo, Museo Statale d'Arte)

Ideas for improvement

More details about

1.Biograohy(active places and periods)

2. Personal life (family background, anecdote)

3. Change in styles

4. Artworks in early/middle/late period with illustrations

5. Representative artworks

6. His influence to artists in future generations

State clearly his undocumented period (1495 - 1506 July)

Plan - Francesco Bonsignori

Suggestions that will be helpful for improvement of this article.

1. Collect more information and documentation about his

(1)biography (2)personal life (3)artworks and style in early period (4)middle period (5)late period

2. Explore the change on style and maturation of techniques during his career.

3. Upload more illustrations of his artworks. (Especially the paintings about animals and nature subject which he excelled in)

4. Explore the influence Liberale da Verona had on him and his artworks as his teacher in Verona.

5. Explore the influence and change Andrea Mantegna brought to him and his artworks after Bonsignori moved to Mantua in 1487.

6. Collect more materials from reliable and recent sources, such as the academic websites (JSTAR, National gallery of art, Oxford Art online, ARTstor, The Web Gallery of Art ) or newspapers and books published recently.

Useful sources that are worth checking

1. Oxford Art online http://www.oxfordartonline.com/subscriber/article/benezit/B00022919?q=Francesco+Bonsignori&search=quick&pos=1&_start=1#firsthit http://www.oxfordartonline.com/subscriber/article/grove/art/T009942?q=Francesco+Bonsignori&search=quick&pos=2&_start=1#firsthit http://www.oxfordartonline.com/subscriber/article/grove/art/T009942?q=Francesco+Bonsignori&search=quick&pos=2&_start=1#firsthit

2. ART UK https://artuk.org/discover/artists/bonsignori-francesco-c-14601519

3. Article from George Mason University. http://digilib.gmu.edu/jspui/bitstream/handle/1920/9149/Rawlings_thesis_2014.pdf;jsessionid=912954DC2AA49E4293E5750141C95156?sequence=1

4. Journal article "A Drawing by Francesco Bonsignori" Philip Pouncey, The British Museum Quarterly, 01/1952, Volume 16, Issue 4, London UK, 1952 5. Magazine "Francesco Bonsignori" Mayer A L, Bruckmann, München Germany, 1929

5. Francesco Bonsignori, Mayer, A L, Pantheon; München, Vol.4 Page 345, Jul 1, 1929, Bruckmann, München, Germany

Article Evaluation - Marco Basaiti

1. Fairly good article. No sources from social media, blogs and self-published materials. Instead, the author cites from reliable publishers such as "National Gallery of Art", "Oxford University Press". Reliable sources are used through the article.
2. Neutral and fairly balanced coverage on Marco Basaiti's artwork and personal life.
3. There was a constant change in Basaiti's style between his Early, Middle and Late Period.
4. He trained in quattrocento style when young, however he needed to change to cinquecento style to adapt the change in Period.
5. Very little documentation about his personal life except the book by Vasari. (Can be biased and subjective)