Andrea del Sarto

Florentine Andea del Sarto (1486–1530) was born Andrea d'Agnolo but was better known as 'del Sarto' (of the tailor) after his father's trade. He was a student of the quirky Piero di Cosimo and Raffaellino del Garbo, but he was also influenced by Leonardo's sfumato technique, although with a love of rich, proto-Mannerist colours.

Between 1509-14, he, along with his slightly older follower Franciabigio frescoed the atrium of Santissima Annunziata with the Life and Miracles of Filippo Benizzi, the Procession of the Magi and his masterful Birth of the Virgin which was so admired that he was nicknamed Andrea senza Errori, the Faultless Painter.

He would return in later years to paint other scenes at SS. Annunziata, including one of his masterpieces the Madonna del Sacco in 1525. Alongside that project, Franciabigio and Andrea also began a series of monochrome grisailles in the Chiostro dello Scalzo, work that Andrea would return to again and again throughout his career. An odd choice, it seems, for someone in love with colour. But they prove his exquisite draughtsmanship, especially the lovely Baptism of Christ.