School of Art

Contact Details

School of Art
Aberystwyth University
Buarth Mawr
Aberystwyth
Ceredigion
SY23 1NG

Tel: +44 (0)1970 622460

Fax: +44 (0)1970 622461

Email: artschool@aber.ac.uk

Display artist/maker:

Giorgio Vasari

Born: 1511, Italy, Arezzo   Died: 1574, Florence

Painter, architect, writer, and historian. Vasari initially became a student of the stained glass painter Guglielmo da Marsiglia (1475-1537). At the age of 16 he moved to Florence where he became a pupil of the artist Andrea del Sarto (c.1486–1530) and formed a friendship with Michelangelo, who became a great influence on his work. Later he visited Rome to study the work of Raphael and others. After the death of his father, Giorgio was able to support his family with the proceeds of his successful career as a painter of frescoes gaining patronage from various courts and leading families. Even more admired as an architect, he designed buildings in Florence, Rome, Naples and Arezzo. Today he is primarily recognized as being the author of ‘Le Vite delle più eccellenti pittori scultori ed architettori’ (Lives of the Most Eminent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects) - first published in 1550 and revised, and enlarged, in 1568. This book of Italian artists’ biographies is heralded as being the first of its type in the world. In 1563, Vasari helped to found the Florentine ‘Accademia delle Arti del Disegno’(Academy of the Art Of Drawing) and in 1571 he was knighted by Pope Pius.

Objects in the collections associated with this artist/maker



 
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