Martiotto Albertinelli was born in Florence, Italy on October 13, 1474. When he was twelve years old, he began to be tutored by Cosimo Rosselli with Fra Bartolomeo. Bartolomeo and Albertinelli became close friends and as they grew together, their styles became so similar that they were considered by many to be nearly indistinguishable. It was a Renaissance style, often depicting Biblical scenes and always in the pomp and comfort characteristic of the Renaissance era. Such paintings were also likely to be framed with arched doorways, strategically placed bystanders, or nature bending to the subject of the painting, enhancing that subject’s sense of importance.
Albertinelli created works for homes of the wealthy, including the famous Medici family, as well as altarpieces and other such art for churches. He and Bartolomeo worked together for much of their lives from the time Albertinelli was twenty years of age, with a break after Bartolomeo joined the Dominican order.
Shown here is Albertinelli’s Visitation:
For comparison in style, this is Bartolomeo’s The Vision of St. Bernard:
