Master of Trognano
The Master of Trognano was an Italian sculptor active in Lombardy. He produced high-quality wooden sculptures in the Duchy of Milan. The name originates from a finely carved, painted and gilded bas relief of the Adoration of the Shepherds dating to c. 1490. Probably produced for private devotion, this was originally in the Oratory of San Giuseppe in Trognano and is now in the Castello Sforzesco in Milan.
Four large wooden panels showing scenes from the Passion are also attributed to this master. They were on an altarpiece in the basilica of Santa Maria del Monte; one is in the Pinacoteca di Brera, another in the Castello Sforzesco and two in the monastery of Ambrosian hermits. Created before 1488, they show the same fine carving and elegant perspective as seen in the Trognano Nativity, showing the sculptor's indebtedness to the most advanced canons of Lombard painting (Foppa, Bramante and Butinone, for instance) and even the Ferrarese school.
A significant group of wooden sculptures are now attributed to this master, including a Madonna and Child in a private collection in New York and (less securely) a second Nativity now in the Pinacoteca Civica in Alessandria.
Identity
Wooden sculpture, far from being considered a minor art or a mere expression of craftsmanship, was very popular in the 15th century. The significant number of master carvers working in the Duchy of Milan (often working jointly on the most demanding works) makes it difficult to identify this master's identity, despite the numerous documents relating to works completed in the main churches.
Given the renown of the workshop of the de Donati brothers in Lombardy and Piedmont, critics have so far considered that one of them may have been the Master of Trognano. However, only the best works from the de Donati workshop compare favourably with those of the Master of Trognano.
The discovery of a document from 1478, certifying the involvement of a wide range of other artists in the construction of the choir of Santa Maria del Monte sopra Varese, working beside de Donati and Giacomo del Maino, has broadened the range of possible hypotheses. Among these, the one involving the sculptor Bartolomeo da Como has gained some credence.
Bibliography (in Italian)
- Raffaele Casciaro, "Maestri e botteghe del secondo Quattrocento", in Giovanni Romano and Claudio Salsi (eds.), Maestri della Scultura in Legno nel ducato degli Sforza, Silvana Editoriale, 2005
- Marco Bascapè e Francesca Tasso (ed.), Opere insigni, e per la divotione e per il lavoro: Tre sculture lignee del "Maestro di Trognano" al Castello Sforzesco: Atti della giornata di studio Milano, Castello Sforzesco, 17 marzo 2005, Silvana Editoriale, 2005
- Various authors (2005). La Pinacoteca del Castello Sforzesco a Milano. Milan: Skira. p. 45. ISBN 88-7624-260-0. Search this book on
External links
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