"He was a contemporary of Leonardo da Vinci" : Lavinia Galli on Andrea Solario

Andrea Solario, Testa di San Giovanni Battista, 1507, Tavola (tela incorporata nella preparazione) Parigi, Museo del Louvre, Département des Peintures © Grand Palais Rmn (musée du Louvre) / Franck Raux

By JOHN BARRYMORE March 24, 2025

What is the meaning of the title La Seduzione Del Colore?

The seduction of color. A title chosen to underline the importance of colors in Solario’s paintings

Who was Andrea Solario?

A very important painter of his time, he was a contemporary of Leonardo da Vinci, who was working in Milan when Andrea was young. Solario was able to combine the beautiful use of color developed by the Venetian painters with the naturalism and the use of the sfumato typical of Leonardo’s art. He was famous in his time and in the second half of the XIX century. He was the favourite painter of Gian Giacomo Poldi Pezzoli, the founder of the museum.

Where was Solario working?

He worked in Milan where he was born, in 1494 /1495 he moved to Venice with his brother the well-known sculptor Cristoforo Solari who was in contact with Giovanni Bellini. He went back to Milan in 1500. He was invited to France in 1507 by cardinal Georges d’Amboise.  He was his court painter in Normandy until 1510, when he returned to Milan where he worked for the French and Milanese rulers.

For this reason many of his paintings are now in the Louvre.

Who are some other artists in the exhibition?

There is a wonderful portrait by Piero Perugino (loan from Uffizi)  and a famous Madonna by Boltraffio, the best follower of Leonardo. A Madonna and Child with a Lamb by Cesare da Sesto, another close follower of Leonardo, a Salome’ by Bernardino Luini, and an engraving by Durer.

Andrea Solario, Ritratto di donna, 1500-1505 circa, Tavola Milano, Pinacoteca del Castello Sforzesco Pinacoteca del Castello Sforzesco - © Comune di Milano/AlephComo 2024

Do you see links between Solario and Murillo?

Bartolomé Esteban Murillo (1617–1682) and Andrea Solario (c. 1470–1524) belonged to different artistic periods and regions—Murillo was a Baroque painter from Spain, while Solario was an Italian Renaissance artist. While there is no direct historical connection between them, their artistic approaches, particularly in religious themes, share some commonalities in their use of softness, warmth, and devotional intimacy.

Is the Testa Del Battista motif, seen in Lombard School paintings, inspired by Solario?

Yes, It was a subject that many artists painted, but Solario’s version was the most influential.

The Louvre version dated 1507 will be on show.

We are very excited to announce that we will also have the Gaga/John the Baptist video-portrait by Bob Wilson, a contemporary homage to this painting in a site-specific installation for Poldi Pezzoli Museum.

Next Project?

We are working on a project: Made in Milan. The decorative arts in Milan in the XVI Century. WM

La Seduzione Del Colore, curated by Lavinia Galli and Antonio Mazzotta, opens March 26th at Poldi Pezzoli Museum. 

   Andrea Solario, Ritratto di giovane, 1490-1494 circa, Tavola Milano, Pinacoteca di Brera © Pinacoteca di Brera, Milano - MiC