Sebastiano del Piombo, also known as SEBASTIANO LUCIANI (c. 1485, Venice—d. July 21, 1547, Rome), painter of the Venetianschool who through his collaboration with Michelangelo became a rival of Raphael. Sebastiano while in Venice was a pupil of Giorgione, whose influence is apparent in his work. His works in fact were often confused with Giorgione’s; e.g., “Salome” (1510; National Gallery, London). In 1511 Sebastiano went to Rome where the Sienese banker Agostino Chigi had engaged him to decorate his newly built Villa Farnesina. Shortly after completing this commission, Sebastiano settled permanently in Rome where he began working with Michelangelo. From designs by Michelangelo he executed the “Pietà” (c. 1517; Museo Civico, Viterbo) and the “Flagellation” (1516-24; BorgheriniChapel, S. Pietro in Montono, Rome); Michelangelo’s opinion of him was so high that he thought by correcting his drafting, he could make Sebastiano the best painter in Rome, In his Roman work Sebastiano combined the warm colouring of the Venetian school with the firm sculptural drawing probably resulting from his association with Michelangelo.

From 1519 to 1530 Sebastiano had an unparalleled reputation in Rome, particularly for portraits. In 1531 Pope Clement VII bestowed upon Sebastiano a sinecure (the office of “piombo” from which he derived his name). During the last seventeen years of his life this economic security seems to have been a significant contributing factor in his limited production of pictures. Sebastiano devised a technique for painting with oils on stone: e.g., “The Flagellation” (S. Pietro in Montono, Rome), and a method for using oils on plaster walls. He tried to persuade the pope to urge Michelangelo to use the latter technique instead of buon fresco for the Sistine Chapel. This led to a coolness between the two artists lasting almost until Sebastiano’s death.


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