Antonio de Saliba

1466 – 1535

Italian painter, also called Antonello da Messina, nephew of the more famous Antonello da Messina. Although Antonio was apprenticed to his cousin Jacobello d'Antonio in January 1480, his painting more closely imitates that of his uncle, Antonello da Messina. This fact, and the similarity of their names, led to the two artists being confused with each other, a situation perhaps intentionally encouraged by de Saliba who used various forms of his uncle's signature on his works. His paintings flaunt their debt to his uncle's style, incorporating elements introduced by Giovanni Bellini. In 1497 he returned to Messina and continued to produce smaller works, still inspired by Antonello da Messina, albeit in stiffer, more popular forms (Virgin Enthroned, Castel Ursino, Catania, 1497; Polyptych, Cathedral, Taormina, 1503-04).

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