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Bernardino FungaiItalian artist of the Sienese school.
Date of Birth: 14.09.1460
Country:  Italy |
Content:
- Bernardino Fungai: An Enigmatic Sienese Master
- Artistic Development
- Stylistic Influence and Innovation
- Diverse Artistic Output
- Scipio Africanus Panels
Bernardino Fungai: An Enigmatic Sienese Master
Early Life and InfluencesBernardino Fungai's biography remains sparsely documented, leaving much about his life unknown. Records indicate his presence as a "garzone" (assistant) to Benvenuto di Giovanni in 1482 while working on monochrome frescoes in the dome of the Siena Cathedral. This led scholars to initially consider him a pupil of Benvenuto. However, Fungai's works exhibit a more significant influence from Matteo di Giovanni, with Giovanni di Paolo also proposed as a possible creative precursor.
Artistic Development
Only one extant work bears Fungai's signature and date: the altarpiece "Madonna and Child with Saints Sebastian, Jerome, Nicholas, and Anthony of Padua" (1512, Siena, Pinacoteca). This piece serves as a reliable basis for scholars to establish his later style, while his early period remains more elusive.
Stylistic Influence and Innovation
Despite his strong Sienese roots, Fungai was not immune to the innovations of the late 15th century. His paintings reveal a strong influence from Lucca Signorelli, Perugino, and Pinturicchio. Beyond painting, records show that Fungai also worked with gold, receiving commissions in 1494 for ceremonial banners and the gilding of the organ case in the cathedral five years later.
Diverse Artistic Output
In addition to major works, Fungai also produced "tavolette" (small devotional paintings) and "cassone" (painted marriage chests). Three distinct depictions of the Madonna are among his surviving works. Scattered across museums worldwide are panels from dismantled altarpieces, along with numerous painted panels for cassone.
Scipio Africanus Panels
A series of painted panels depicting scenes from the life of Scipio Africanus are attributed to Fungai. Two paired panels are housed in the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, with three additional panels residing in private collections. These works provide a glimpse into Fungai's meticulous attention to detail and narrative storytelling.
