Pomponio Amalteo

Who was Pomponio Amalteo?

Pomponio Amalteo was an Italian painter of the Venetian school.

He was born at Motta di Livenza in Veneto. He was a pupil and son-in-law of Il Pordenone, whose style he closely imitated; he inherited Pordenone's studio at Friuli, where he led a long career. His works consist chiefly of frescoes and altarpieces and many of which {e.g., in the church of Santa Maria de' Battisti and the altarpiece of Saint Sebastian at the duomo of San Vito al Tagliamento have degraded greatly over time. Five pictures representing subjects of Roman history painted by Amalteo adorn the Hall of the Notaries at Belluno. He also frescoed a series of judges for a loggia in the court of justice in Ceneda.

His shading is weaker; colors, brighter; and proportions of figures, less elegant, than those of Pordenone, of which he was likely the most accomplished of his pupils.

His brother Girolamo Amalteo is supposed to have assisted him in his labors. His daughter Quintilia Amalteo had the reputation of an excellent portraitist. Girolamo, besides the works in which he aided his brother, executed small pictures, painted in fresco, and produced an altarpiece for the church of San Vito. Another pupil was Sebastiano Seccante.