Antonio Vivarini

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Antonio Vivarini (Antonio of Murano) (c. 1440 – 1480) was a Venetian painter of the early Renaissance. He is probably the earliest of a family of painters including sibling his younger brother Bartolomeo and Antonio's son Alvise Vivarini.

He initially trained with Andrea da Murano, and his works show the influence of Gentile da Fabriano. The earliest known date of a picture of his, an altar-piece in the Accademia is 1440; the latest, in the Lateran museum, 1464, but he appears to have been alive in 1470.He worked in company his brother in law, Giovanni d'Alemagna (also known as "Joannes de Alemania", who has also been regarded as a brother (Giovanni of Murano), but no trace of this painter exists of a date later than 1447. After 1447 Antonio painted either alone or in combination with his younger brother Bartolommeo. The works of Antonio are well drawn for their epoch, with a certain noticeable degree of softness, and with good flesh and other tints. He was likely influenced by Mantegna. It is sometimes difficult to assign authorship for works from the Vivarini studio.

Three of his principal paintings are the Virgin Enthroned with the Four Doctors of the Church, the Coronation of the Virgin and Sts Peter and Jerome. The first two (in which Giovanni co-operated) are in the Venetian academy, the third in the National Gallery, London. This gallery contains also specimens of the two under-named painters.

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