Gherardo di Giovanni del Fora

Gherardo di Giovanni di Miniato, often referred to as ‘del Fora’ (‘of the holes’) in reference to his father’s profession as a stonecutter, was born and worked in Florence in the second half of the 15th century. He trained under Domenico Ghirlandaio, whose influence can be seen in aspects of his style. Gherardo ran a miniatures workshop with his brothers in Florence but also painted on a larger scale, producing works on panel and in fresco. According to Giorgio Vasari, Gherardo became part of the entourage of Lorenzo ‘the Magnificent’ de’ Medici, his artistic skills and ‘sophisticated brain’ having attracted his attention. Though few of Gherardo’s works survive, he is known to have painted the façade of the Florentine church of Sant’Egidio in 1474, and may also have worked in mosaic.