Touching fingers with the Christ Child. Square detail of damaged Italian fresco, painted in about 1410, in the Chiesa di San Domenico at Arezzo, Tuscany, Italy. The painting is attributed to the locally-born artist, Giovanni d'Agnolo di Balduccio (1370-1452).
Arezzo, Tuscany, Italy: early 15th century frescoes attributed to the artist Giovanni d'Agnolo di Balduccio (1370-1452) in the Chiesa di San Domenico, the 13th century Dominican basilica in Piazza San Domenico, include this touching square detailcof a badly damaged Madonna and Child enthroned between San Clemente and San Lorenzo, painted in about 1410. Giovanni di Balduccio was born into a wealthy Arezzo family. He is believed to have followed and worked with the influential Tuscan painter Spinello Aretino ( - ), and with Spinello's son, Parri Spinelli (1387-1453), both of whom also produced frescoes for San Domenico. Balduccio's name was unknown until the early 20th century, when it was noticed in ancient archives. Giovanni lived in Arezzo, married twice and is thought to have had several children. Municipal land registers show that he owned various properties, including a town house in Arezzo, a detached house standing in its own land and properties in suburbs such as San Fabiano, San Biagio and Fonte Guinizelli. He was elected to the city's General Council in 1416 and helped to reform Arezzo's Land Registry. The only documented artwork definitely by Giovanni is a Madonna and Child, painted on wood, in another Arezzo church. However, detailed analysis of a panel from San Domenico featuring St Donato, now in the city's Casa Vasari Museum, has shown beyond reasonable doubt that it is also by his hand. Various other paintings in Arezzo are thought to be either solo works by Giovanni di Balduccio, or the result of his collaborations with Parri Spinelli. Giovanni died in Arezzo in 1452 and a Latin inscription on an outside wall of the city's cathedral records his burial there.
Size: 2638px × 2638px
Location: Arezzo, Tuscany, Italy.
Photo credit: © Terence Kerr / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
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