Castello del Buonconsiglio monumenti e collezioni provinciali

Dosso Dossi (c. 1490 -1542)

Neither date nor place of birth is known for Giovanni Luteri, known as the artist Dosso Dossi, although the date can be estimated around 1486-7. Dossi's family originated from the region of Trento. His father Nicoló of Trento was registered resident of Dosso Villa in the Mantua area, working at the court of Duke Ercole I of Ferrara. Historians agree in believing that Dosso formed his artistic background in Venice at the beginning of the 16th century as many of his early works are inspired by the colouring of Giorgione and the young Tiziano. Various documents from around 1516 show the painter’s presence in the area, when he was already a painter at the court of Ferrara, living in the castle of Este. Dosso elaborated his artistic language in this period, influenced by the illustrious Ariosto and the sophisticated cultural environment of the dukes of Este. His original Venetian style was enriched with a modern influence from the more modern central Italy (Raffaello, Michelangelo), creating a more original and colourful style of work. Until 1519 there were regular yearly visits to Venice, and in 1517 the artist also went to Florence. He accompanied Tiziano to Mantua in 1519 to visit the artistic collection of Isabella d’Este. The following year there is also documentation to show the presence of his brother Battista in Rome. The artist’s work is then influenced by Raffaello and Michelangelo, both in the paintings on the altar (Madonna with S.Giorgio and S.Michele, in Modena) and in the fable-mythological theme (Maga of Galleria Borghese in Rome). Dosso continued working for the Estenses into the following decade, both in the castle and their other residential properties, although many of these works have unfortunately disappeared. The frescoes, carried out by the two brothers in the period of 1529 to 1530, in the rooms of Villa Imperiale in Pesaro, do however remain.

The artist was called to Trento by Bernardo Cles in 1531, where he worked together with his brother for almost a year, to fresco nineteen areas of the Magno Palazzo. Despite the collaboration with his brother Battista, it would seem that the greater responsibility regarding the execution and the ideas behind the work fell upon Dosso, who was highly praised and admired by Bernardo Cles. It was however probably not only due to the personal praise on behalf of the Prince-Bishop towards the artist, but also his artistic background and success before arriving in Trento, that led to a large part of the work in the Castle being entrusted to him, for which he was paid 1,290 florins compared to the 620 florins that Fogolino received and the 606 florins given to Romanino.

His work did not pass without criticism though, as for example his choice of subject in the pagan divinities in the lunettes adjacent to the chapel, as we know from Mattioli (1539). The work of frescoing the Loggia was first commissioned to Dosso and later passed on to Romanino who probably took over to lighten Dosso’s heavy workload, especially considering the extensive dimensions of such work, and his more liberal style and therefore quicker work.