Gallery of the Arts
M. Caldera
Ligurian painting in the 15th century does not figure very prominently in the history of the visual arts in Italy, in spite of the presence of artists from neighbouring regions and the fact that local patrons were ahead of their time in their interest in novelties arriving from abroad. Donato de’ Bardi’s advanced reworking of Flemish painting, Vincenzo Foppa’s time spent in Genoa and Savona, and the intriguing enigma of Carlo Braccesco are the outstanding features of an extremely complex scenario. This situation acquired further layers of intricacy through the varying predilections of the chief towns in the area, which did not necessarily reflect the taste of the capital, being at times keen to embrace fashionable trends and at others anxious to develop their own styles independently.