ANDREA DEL VERROCCHIO
1436 - 1488

Bronze statue of the Venetian condottiere Bartolomeo Colleoni


INTRODUCTION

Verrocchio was a Florentine sculptor and painter who is ranked second only to Donatello among the Italian sculptors of the Renaissance.

BACKGROUND

Andrea del Verrocchio was born in 1436 and died in 1488. Andrea Verrocchio's real name was Andrea di Michele di Francesco di Cioni. Verrocchio was a great goldsmith, sculptor, painter, bell-caster, musician, geometrician, and a cannon caster. He was great at all of these things.

Verrocchio opened his own school and taught all of the arts to Leonardo, Botticelli, Lorenzo di Credi, and Perugino. They all went to his school, and learned his arts. He worked with Donatello, Giuliano Verrocchio, and Alesso Baldovinetti.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Andrea del Verrocchio was a great sculptor. He did the greatest equestrian statue in the world. It was a bronze statue of the bandit, Colleoni. He did David with the head of Goliath at his feet. He also did the statues of St. John, St. Peter, St. George, St. Mark, Bartholomew, and St. Thomas.

Verrocchio worked in bronze relief. He sculpted Alexander, Darius and a bronze boy holding a dolfin. He also designed a tomb for his father and uncle. He also designed and cast in bronze a group of Christ and doubting Thomas for the San Michele Church. His superiority was in bronze. He also taught cannon casting to Leonardo. He had very good craftsmanship, but in all his life he was only second to Donatello.

IMPACT

Andrea Del Verrocchio set an example for other Renaissance sculptors to follow which brought many new artists into the world.


Christ and St. Thomas

BIBLIOGRAPHY


1. Craven, Thomas. The Rainbow Book of Arts. New York, World Publishing, 1972, p. 67.

2. Chamberlin, E. R. Every Day Life In Renaissance Time. New York, G.P. Putnam's Sons 1965, p. 39.

3. Ward, Roger. "Verrocchio" The World Book Encyclopedia. 1994, vol. 20, pp. 362-363.

4. Hale, John. Renaissance Great Ages of Man. New York, Time-Life Book, 1965, pp. 52-53.


This page was prepared by Chris and Justin, Grade 8, Riverdale Junior Secondary School.