Jacopo da Sellaio ~ Biography
1442 – 1493
Sometimes known as Jacopo di Arcangel, Sellaio was an eclectic Italian painter from the early Renaissance, who painted in the style of the Florentine School. He was a pupil of Fra Filippo Lippi (1406 – 1469), with his contemporary Sandro Botticelli (1444 – 1510), who became a lasting influence on him. It is noted that by 1460 he had joined the Confraternity of Saint Luke (Compagnia di S Luca) in Florence, and in 1473 he is documented to have shared a studio with Filippo di Giuliano.
A number of his paintings were commissioned for decorative wedding chests, or a cassoni, such as his Story of Cupid and Psyche commissioned for a 15th Century Florentine marriage. The latter depicts the ancient marriage of the mortal princess, Psyche to the god of love, Cupid. He executed another wedding cassone, The Nerli Cassone in collaboration with Zanobi di Domenico and Biagio d'Antonio in 1472. His piece now in the Uffizi Gallery, The Banquet of Ahasuerus, was also painted, along with two other panels, including, Esther before Ahasuerus, for a cassoni. These panels depict biblical scenes from the Old Testament.
His small devotional pieces were well known, several of which depicted Saint Jerome and Saint John the Baptist. He also painted religious works for the church of San Lucia dei Magnoli and the church of San Frediano, both in Florence.
Sometimes known as Jacopo di Arcangel, Sellaio was an eclectic Italian painter from the early Renaissance, who painted in the style of the Florentine School. He was a pupil of Fra Filippo Lippi (1406 – 1469), with his contemporary Sandro Botticelli (1444 – 1510), who became a lasting influence on him. It is noted that by 1460 he had joined the Confraternity of Saint Luke (Compagnia di S Luca) in Florence, and in 1473 he is documented to have shared a studio with Filippo di Giuliano.
A number of his paintings were commissioned for decorative wedding chests, or a cassoni, such as his Story of Cupid and Psyche commissioned for a 15th Century Florentine marriage. The latter depicts the ancient marriage of the mortal princess, Psyche to the god of love, Cupid. He executed another wedding cassone, The Nerli Cassone in collaboration with Zanobi di Domenico and Biagio d'Antonio in 1472. His piece now in the Uffizi Gallery, The Banquet of Ahasuerus, was also painted, along with two other panels, including, Esther before Ahasuerus, for a cassoni. These panels depict biblical scenes from the Old Testament.
His small devotional pieces were well known, several of which depicted Saint Jerome and Saint John the Baptist. He also painted religious works for the church of San Lucia dei Magnoli and the church of San Frediano, both in Florence.
