Lorenzo di Niccolò

Lorenzo di Niccolò or Lorenzo di Niccolò di Martino was an Italian painter that was active in Florence from 1391 to 1412. This early Renaissance artist worked in the Trecento style, and his work maintains influences of the Gothic style, marking a transitional period between the Gothic sensibilities of the Middle Ages while simultaneously beginning to draw on the Classical. Lorenzo's works were often made of tempera and gold and depicted religious scenes.

The exact year of Lorenzo’s birth is unknown, but should be approximately 1374, for the first recorded date of his existence is in 1392 when it is documented that Lorenzo and his mentor, Niccolò di Pietro Gerini, painted frescoes in the church of San Francesco at Pisa. Lorenzo is often erroneously cited as the son of Niccolò di Pietro Gerini because he completed some works with the painter, and Lorenzo's work is stylistically similar to Gerini's. It is more likely that Lorenzo was simply trained in Gerini’s workshop; therefore, many of Lorenzo’s early works share similarities with the work of Gerini. Lorenzo’s education was limited, as it is thought that he trained under Gerini in a bottega, and in a way that was not conducive to learning the highest levels of painting. Gerini’s work focused more on managing many artists on large projects than on working as a skilled painter. Lorenzo's friend, painter Spinello Aretino was more influential to Lorenzo's personal artistic development. Lorenzo drew inspiration from Spinello’s large-scale frescos and the freedom of imagination in his works. Lorenzo's work was further influenced by Lorenzo Monaco, and to a greater extent by Mariotto di Nardo and Andrea di Giusto. Based on records, Lorenzo was a most likely a member of the Medici e Speziali guild around 1408, and was certainly a member of the Compagnia di San Luca in 1410.

Lorenzo had a son, Piero, who was trained in painting at the Arte dei Medici e Speziali in 1422 and became a painter in his own right. At this time, Lorenzo had already died.

Throughout his career, Lorenzo maintained Trecento traditions in his work, a style that he learned from Gerini. Lorenzo’s works, such as S. Giovanni and his enemy before the crucifix in Saint Miniato, serve as defining models of Florentine art’s transitional period at the beginning of the 15th century and connect the artist to the Florentine art circle and continued to work in a form of the late Gothic style well into the 15th century. This particular circle of Proto-Renaissance style Florentine artists was centered around artist Lorenzo Monaco. Although the Trecento period had technically ended by Lorenzo's time, this circle of artists continued to work in the style, which bridged the gap between the artistic styles of the Gothic and Renaissance periods. Many of Lorenzo di Niccolò’s works focus on his use of decorative patterns, and do not seem to be concerned with the classicizing naturalistic intentions of the majority of Renaissance artists working in 15th century Florence. However, when compared with his contemporary, Mariotto di Nardo, it is clear that Lorenzo skillfully maintained a Gothic style while allowing his figures some sense of movement that does not exist in works by Mariotto di Nardo.

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