Stradano Giovanni, Van der Straet Jan, Stradanus Johannes

Object description

Giovanni Stradano or Jan Van der Straet or van der Straat or Stradanus or Stratesis (1523 – 11 February 1605) was a Flanders-born mannerist artist active mainly in 16th century Florence.

Born in Bruges, he began his training in the shop of his father, then in Antwerp with Pieter Aertsen. By 1545, he had joined the Antwerp guild of Saint Luke or painters' guild, the equivalent of the Roman (Accademia San Luca). He reached Florence in 1550, where he entered in the service of the Medici Dukes and Giorgio Vasari. He also worked with Francesco Salviati in the decoration of the Vatican Belvedere. He returned to Florence and worked in the Palazzo Vecchio and the villa of Poggio a Caiano. He was one of the artists involved in the Studiolo of Francesco I (1567-1577), to which he contributed two paintings including The Alchemist's Studio.

He died at Florence in 1605.

Karel van Mander wrote about him in his Schilder-boeck, mentioning that he was 74 in 1603 and still a member of the Florence drawing academy. He also mentioned his pupil Antonio Tempesta, who painted ships and Amazon battle scenes (bataljes).