Taddeo di Bartolo

Who was Taddeo di Bartolo?

Taddeo di Bartolo, also known as Taddeo Bartoli, was an Italian painter of the Sienese School during the early Renaissance. He is among the artists profiled in Vasari's Le Vite delle più eccellenti pittori, scultori, ed architettori. Vasari claims he is the uncle of Domenico di Bartolo.

The exact year Taddeo di Bartolo was born is unknown, but it’s been estimated sometime between 1363-65. Around 1389 he entered the Sienese School of art, where he mastered the art of painting among his Sienese colleagues. In 1389 Taddeo traveled to Collegarli, the San Miniato al Tedesco hills, and Pisa. The Virgin and Child Enthroned is one of Taddeo’s first documented works; signed and dated in 1390 for the church of San Paolo in Pisa. In 1393 Taddeo traveled to Tuscany where he painted in San Gimignano. Taddeo executed the altarpiece of the Virgin and Child and Saints for the Sardi and Campigli Chapel in San Francesco in 1395. The Virgin and Child With Saints showcases Taddeo’s earlier style. The thin elegant figures, and flowing lines of the drapery patterns reflect influence from his Sienese predecessors, such as [Simone Martini] and [Ambrogio Lorenzetti].