Cosme Tura, Italian 15th Century (c. 1430 ? 1495), St. Catherine of Alexandria (Santa Caterina d'

Cosme Tura Italian 15th Century ( c. 1430 ? 1495) St. Catherine of Alexandria (Santa Caterina d' Alessandria) oil on gesso on wood panels loss and flaking paint. Cosimo Tura before 1431 - 1495 Cosm? Tura, also known as Il Cosm? or Cosimo Tura, was an Italian early-Renaissance painter and considered one of the founders of the School of Ferrara. Tura was employed as court artist at the d'Este court of Ferrara, first by Borso d'Este and then by Ercole I. He was the first great Ferrarese artist. His highly decorative style emerges from what is known as International Gothic, modified by the sculptural qualities of North Italian art. He was especially indebted to Andrea Mantegna. Nothing is known of Tura's artistic education; the influence of Piero della Francesca has sometimes been detected in his pictures. Tura was one of the first painters in Italy to master the oil technique of the Netherlandish painters, such as Rogier van der Weyden, whose work was known in Ferrara. His closest affinity is with the group centred on Padua, and trained by Squarcione or deeply indebted to his art, such as Mantegna. Tura may have been in Padua in the years 1452-6(?). 16 1/2"H x 12 1/8"W, 19 1/2"H x 15"W (frame)