Giulio Clovio

Giulio Clovio Juraj Julije Klović
Portrait of Giorgio Giulio Clovio, pointing to his Farnese Hours, by El Greco.
Known for	Illuminator, miniaturist, and painter
Notable work	Farnese Hours
Movement	High Renaissance

Giorgio Giulio Clovio or Juraj Julije Klović (1498 – January 5, 1578) was a illuminator, miniaturist, and painter born in the Kingdom of Croatia, who was mostly active in Renaissance Italy. He is considered the greatest illuminator of the Italian High Renaissance, and arguably the last very notable artist in the long tradition of the illuminated manuscript, before some modern revivals.

Giulio Clovio was born in Grižane, a village near the town of Modruš in Kingdom of Croatia (today's Croatia). He came from a Croatian family.

It is not known where he had his early training, but he may have studied art with monks at Fiume of Novi Bazar when he was young.

He moved to Italy at age 18 and entered the household of Cardinal Marino Grimani where he was trained as a painter. Between 1516 and ca 1523 Clovio may have lived with Marino in the residence of the latter’s uncle Cardinal Domenico Grimani in Rome. Clovio studied under Giulio Romano during this early period.

He also studied under Girolamo dai Libri.

While a protégé of Cardinal Domenico Grimani Clovio engraved medals and seals for him, as well as the Grimani Commentary Ms., an important early illuminated book (now Sir John Soane's Museum, London).

By 1524 Clovio was at Buda, at the Hungarian court of King Louis II, for whom he painted the "Judgment of Paris" and "Lucretia". After Louis' death in the Battle of Mohács, Clovio travelled to Rome where he continued his career.