Pier Antonio Mezzastris

Pier Antonio Mezzastris (or Mezastris; c. 1430 – c. 1506) was an Italian painter, belonging to the Umbrian school of painting.

Mezzastris was born at Foligno in Umbria. He painted religious subjects, working mostly in fresco, and was a local painter, in that all of his known works can be found within 15 km (10 mi) of his hometown, except for two frescoes in Narni. Though his subjects are very limited, his work is good, marked by technical ability and polish combined with elegance and delicacy of feeling. He should not be confused with Bernardino Mezzastris, a much lesser artist, possibly his son.

Works

Definite works by Mezzastris include:

• in and near Foligno:
  • several detached frescoes now in the Pinacoteca Civica, including a Madonna and Saints (signed and dated 1486)
  • a large monochrome fresco in the church of S. Domenico
  • Madonna and Child with St Lucia and St Claire, fresco (1471) in the monastery of S. Lucia
  • Madonna and Child with Two Female Saints, fresco in the monastery of S. Anna
  • Madonna and Child with Angels, Saints, and Sibyls, in the church of the Madonna della Fiamenga
  • an ensemble of frescoes in the church of S. Maria in Campis, 2 km (1 mi) from Foligno
  • Madonna and Saints, frescoes in the church of Vescia, 5 km (3 mi) from Foligno

• elsewhere:
  • Oratorio dei Pellegrini in Assisi: the frescoes of the vault, depicting the Doctors of the Church; on the walls, frescoes of St Anthony Abbot blessing the Camels, and of the Miracles of St James
  • Crucifixion (1482) in the convent of S. Damiano near Assisi
  • Madonna Worshipping the Child, with St Francis and St Anthony of Padua, in the church of S. Martino of Trevi
  • "St Anthony's Niche", with several frescoes, in the church of S. Francesco of Montefalco
  • Scenes from the life of St Francis, and Two Scenes from the life of St Benedict, in the church of S. Francesco in Narni

Attributed to Mezzastris are:

• St Francis receiving the Stigmata, in the monastery of S. Anna of Foligno
• St Francis receiving the Stigmata, in the church of S. Girolamo of Spello
• Crucifixion (fresco, damaged), in the church of S. Vincenzo of Bevagna
• Madonna and Child with Angel (very damaged), in the church of S. Agostino of Montefalco
• Deposition, fresco in the Duomo of Narni
• "St. Roch and the Redeemer" (ca. 1480) " painting in the Church of San Giacomo (Foligno)