A leading artist of the Italian Renaissance, he initially trained under Cosimo Rosselli, and opened a worshop with a fellow pupil, Mariotto Albertinelli.
He entered the Dominican Order in 1500, reportedly due to the influence of Savronela's preaching, and from that point on restricted his painting to religious subjects only.
Fra Bartolomeo's contemporaries included Leonardo, Raphael, and Bellini, and their artistic influences appear in his use of sfumato, composition, and the way he addressed landscapes in his paintings.
His work is characterized by a reserved approach to the thematic content, and solidly painted forms.
You can read more about his work and biography at The Oxford Dictionary of Art and The Web Gallery of Art.
A few of his monumental works are displayed below:
The Adoration of the Christ Child c. 1499 Tempera on wood, diameter 89 cm Galleria Borghese, Rome |
Prophet Isaiah c. 1516 Panel, 168 x 108 cm Galleria dell'Accademia, Florence |
The Marriage of St Catherine of Siena 1511 Wood panel, 257 x 228 cm Musée du Louvre, Paris |