Piero del Pollaiuolo
Piero del Pollaiuolo, sometimes spelled Pollaiolo, was an Italian Renaissance artist who lived from circa 1441 to 1496. A true Renaissance man, he was an accomplished painter, sculptor, goldsmith, and engraver.
Piero del Pollaiuolo was born in Florence, Italy. Along with his older brother, Antonio, Pollaiuolo was brought up learning all the various trades of art. The two brothers learned mostly from their father who worked as a goldsmith, but they also studied art with the revered Renaissance painter, Andrea del Castagno. Pollaiuolo shared a studio with his brother, Antonio, and the two often collaborated with each other. They often collaborated on the same piece of art, which makes it hard for art historians today to separate their work. The Pollaiuolo studio was very successful in Florence and today is regarded as one of the most important art studios of the Renaissance.
The brothers were often commissioned to create works for the well-known and respected Medici family who were patrons to many of the great artists of Florence during this period, including Michelangelo. The Pollaiuolo brothers created a large number of naturalistic and detailed portraits of women towards the end of the fifteenth century. They had an avid interest in human anatomy. It is said that they often carried out their own dissections on human subjects to help improve themselves on the subject. This must have worked because their art is remembered for its anatomical correctness in addition to its classical nature.
The Pollaiuolo brothers’ workshop produced a large number of portraits from the mid-1460s until 1480, when Piero del Pollaiuolo opened his own workshop. The brothers were instrumental in developing the portraiture of women, particularly the solitary woman. It is sometimes difficult to distinguish which brother painted which part of the portrait.
Though both of the Pollaiuolo brothers were highly respected artists in their day, Antonio is often regarded as slightly more talented than Piero for the attention to detail he added to clothes and hair. One must remember, however, that it is quite hard to separate out their individual contributions to their work. Piero Pollaiolo died in Rome in 1496.
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