Stradanus

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Giovanni Stradano or Jan Van der Straet or van der Straat or Stradanus or Stratesis was a Flemish-born mannerist artist active mainly in 16th century Florence. Born in Bruges in 1523; he died in Florence on 11 of February 1605. He began his training in the shop of his father, Pieter Aertsen. By 1545, he had joined the painter's guild of San Luke. He reached Florence in 1550, where he entered in the service of the Medici Dukes and Giorgio Vasari. He also worked with Francesco Salviati in the decoration of the Vatican Belvedere. He returned to Florence and worked in the Palazzo Vecchio and the villa of Poggio a Caiano. He was one of the artists involved in the Studiolo of Francesco I. (1567-1577), to which he contributed two paintings including The Alchemist's Studio.