by English-speaking settlers from Great
Britain.
SEEALSO: Caboto, Giovanni
Castagno, Andrea del ........................
(ca. 1421–1457)
A notable painter of Florence, Castagno
was born as Andrea di Bartoldi Bargilla.
As a young man he was known for a mu-
ral in the Palazzo del Podesta, an impor-
tant civic building, showing the execution
of rebels. In the 1440s Castagno traveled
to Venice, where he completed a series of
frescoes in the church of San Zaccaria, as
well asLast Supperand aPassion of Christ
cycle for the convent church of Saint Apol-
lonia. These frescoes showed great skill in
the handling of perspective, which Cast-
agno had learned through a study of the
paintings of Masaccio.
Castagno eventually returned to Flo-
rence, where he painted fresco cycles in
the churches of Saint Apollonia and Saint
Annunziata, and in a private estate, the
Villa Carducci. He was best known in Flo-
rence for a portrait of Niccolo da Tolen-
tino, a condottiere (mercenary) who had
led the city’s forces to an important vic-
tory. The portrait was completed over
Tolentino’s tomb within the Duomo, the
cathedral of Florence. Castagno drew his
inspiration from contemporary and an-
cient sources, making a study of Roman
wall paintings as well as the striking new
style of Donatello’s lifelike sculpture. He
realistically depicted the human figure, giv-
ing it a sculptural volume, realistic pro-
portions, and dramatic expressions and
movement that became characteristic of
later Florentine painting, and notably in
the works of Michelangelo.
SEEALSO: Florence; painting
Castiglione, Baldassare ......................
(1478–1529)
A diplomat and author whose famousBook
of the Courtierdescribed the ideal Renais-
sance gentleman. Castiglione was born into
a noble family of Lombardy in the town
of Casatico, near the town of Mantua in
northern Italy. As a young man he at-
tended the court of the Sforza family, rul-
ers of Milan, and served during a cam-
paign against an invading Spanish army in- He became a diplomat for Duke
Francesco Gonzaga of Mantua, and in
1504 joined the court of Duke Guidobaldo
Montefeltro of Urbino, who sent him as
an ambassador to King Henry VII of En-
gland. Castiglione also joined an expedi-
tion sent by Pope Julius II against Venice
and for his service was rewarded with the
title of Count of Novellata. He became an
ambassador to the papal court after the
electionofPopeLeoX.InRomehestruck
up a friendship with the Italian artist
Raphael, who painted a well-known por-
trait of the author. In 1521 Castiglione at-
tained a position in the church: He was
sent as an ambassador to Spain by Pope
Clement VII, where he attended to Charles
V, king of Sapin and Holy Roman Em-
peror. When Charles’s army attacked
Rome, Castiglione came under suspicion
for not informing the pope of the disas-
trous attack beforehand. Castiglione de-
fended his actions and was exonerated.
In 1528 Castiglione publishedIl Corte-
giano, known in English as theBook of the
Courtier. The book was based on the
author’s experiences at the ducal court of
Urbino. In a series of lively dialogues and
conversations, based on those he heard at
the court, he expounds on the training and
manners of the proper gentleman. Cas-
tiglione sees the courtier as a new type of
man, one educated in the arts and litera-
Castiglione, Baldassare