Late Gothic & Early Renaissance: Giovanni Bellini

Born in Venice in 1430, Giovanni Bellini was an important Italian renaissance painter. Among his family of Venetian painters, he was the most well known. Son of Jacopo Bellini, brother of Gentile Bellini and brother in law to Andrea Mantegna, he was very much surrounded by painters.

Throughout the first two decades of his career, his work is heavily religious and traditional in focus, painting many madonnas, pietàs, and crucifixions. He later switched his focus over to the setting and scenery of his pieces, eventually becoming one of the most impressive landscape painters.

Bellini was very influential in the instruction of painters of the high renaissance in Venice, taking on many pupils throughout his time as a part of the Venetian School. Notably, he taught Giorgione and Titian, who both surpassed him in fame.

He was also known for his use of oil paints to convey light and colour incredibly well. His use of colour and lighting in his pieces makes it very easy to identify the season and time of day being portrayed.

Bellini was a very inventive and original painter. In his later years, he brought quite a humanistic quality to his paintings, especially showing a lot of human tenderness and softness in the people he painted. He was an important part of the transition into high renaissance painting.

I personally really like his work. His landscapes are pretty incredible.