Altichiero da Zevio - A Late Gothic Master

Altichiero da Zevio - Death of St Lucy - 1379-84 - Fresco, 237 x 290 cm - Oratorio di San Giorgio, Padua (click photo for larger image)The Italian painter, Altichiero da Zevio (ca. 1330 - ca. 1390) is regarded as one of the founders of the Veronese school of painting. Most of his surviving works are in Padua, Italy--where he learned much from the works of the great proto-Renaissance painter, Giotto. However, he did retain a lot of the pageantry of the late 14th century Gothic style--and his contributions to that style are outstanding. The art of the Middle Ages (which includes the late Gothic) is often overlooked. This thousand-year-long tradition is not only magnificent in its own right. It also had a profound influence on many modern artists. The painting featured here is rich in architectural forms and drama. The subject matter is St Lucy, whose name means “light”. She is the patron saint of the blind.