Italian Mannerist Painter, 1503-1572 Italian painter and poet. He dominated Florentine painting from the 1530s to the 1560s. He was court artist to Cosimo I de' Medici, and his sophisticated style and extraordinary technical ability were ideally suited to the needs and ideals of his ducal patron. He was a leading decorator, and his religious subjects and mythological scenes epitomize the grace of the high maniera style.
The Illegitimate Daughter of Cosimo I de' Medici
1542 Oil on wood, 63 x 48 cm Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence The painting portrays Bia, one of the two illegitimate daughters of Cosimo I, who died in 1542 when she was only five years old. It is one of the loveliest portraits executed by Bronzino for the Medici family. The girl, who wears a medallion with the profile of Cosimo around her neck, is portrayed with an expression of lucid fixity, in perfect accord with the enchanted happiness of childhood, and her very slight smile creates a magical air of suspense. The background, abstract as in many other portraits by Bronzino, is of an almost enamelled lapis lazuli.Artist:BRONZINO, Agnolo Title: Bia, The Illegitimate Daughter of Cosimo I de' Medici Painted in 1501-1550 , Italian - - painting : portrait