166 - Francesco Rizzo da Santacroce (San Pellegrino Terme 1485 – Venice 1545), from the workshop of

Francesco Rizzo da Santacroce (San Pellegrino Terme 1485 – Venice 1545), from the workshop of Madonna and Child with Saint John the Baptist Oil on panel 39 x 32 cm Francesco Rizzo, who is documented as having lived in Venice from 1505 to 1545, belonged to a group of painters from Santa Croce near Bergamo who were active in Venice. Due to the presence of namesakes within the group, they were often confused with one another or conflated into a single artistic persona; however, thanks to recent studies, we now know that “the Santacroces” were a group of six individuals, not all of whom were related: three named Francesco (Francesco di Simone, Francesco Rizzo, and Francesco da Santacroce), Vincenzo, Girolamo, and Pietro Paolo. Francesco Rizzo worked in the studio of his fellow Bergamascan Francesco di Simone da Santacroce, becoming his closest collaborator; upon the latter’s death, he took over the reins of the thriving Venetian workshop. In Venice, Rizzo was also influenced by another artist from Bergamo, Palma il Vecchio, and was captivated by the genius of the Venetian Renaissance, Giovanni Bellini. From Giambellino, he drew inspiration above all from the “Sacred Conversations,” imaginative religious themes that were highly prized in Venetian circles. Francesco Rizzo da Santacroce (San Pellegrino Terme 1485 – Venice 1545) workshop of Madonna and Child with St. John the Baptist Oil on panel 39 x 32 cm