Sebastiano del Piombo (Sebastiano Luciani, known as Sebastiano del Piombo)

Venice, 1485(?)-Rome, 1547

Sebastiano Luciani, known as Sebastiano del Piombo, was born in 1485, according to Vasari, and it seems likely that his place of birth was Venice. According to Vasari, Sebastiano was firstly a musician, but went on to study painting with Giovanni Bellini. His first works were particularly influenced by Giorgione's aesthetic, as is evident in the Salome in the National Gallery, London. Following Giorgione's early death, Sebastiano moved to Rome in 1511 on the suggestion of the banker Agostino Chigi. He worked for this important patron on the decoration of the Villa Farnesina, Rome. Sebastiano's most important works were executed in Rome between 1516 and 1527 and it was in that city that he developed his career. Like other artists of this generation, his work shows the all-too obvious influence of Michelangelo, with whom he was also friends, and in fact Michelangelo made preparatory drawings for works by Sebastiano including The Flagellation in the Borgherini chapel, or The Raising of Lazarus (1519), now in the National Gallery, London. In 1531 Clement VII named Sebastiano "Piombare", or guardian of the pontifical lead seals, from which role he derived his nickname. According to Vasari, the social and financial success which this appointment implied encouraged the artist to work less, and when he was obliged to do so, "it pained his soul greatly". Sebastiano was an outstanding portraitist. Among his best portraits are those of Clement VII in the Museo Capodimonte, Naples, The Virgin of the Veil (c. 1526), in the Národni Galeri, Prague, and the group of paintings now in the Prado, Madrid.

FOULKES, C. J.: "L'exposizione d'arte italiana a Londra" in Archivo Storico dell'Arte. Vol. VII, 1894, pp. 266-267.

HIRST, M.: Sebastiano del Piombo. Oxford, 1981.

MENA, M. B.: Sebastiano del Piombo en España. Exhibition catalogue Museo del Prado, Madrid, 1995.


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