Johannes Stradanus

1523 – 1605

Johannes Stradanus (Jan van der Straet, in Italy Giovanni Stradano) was a Flemish painter and draughtsman, active in Italy. He first trained under his father, Jan van der Straet (d. 1535), painter in Bruges. After his father's death, he was apprenticed for two years to Maximilian Franck (1490-1547). From 1537 to 1540 he trained under Pieter Aertsen in Antwerp. He became a master in Antwerp c. 1545. He left for Italy c. 1545 and travelled by way of Lyon, where he worked with Corneille de Lyon. He was then active in Venice, Florence, Reggio Emilia, and Naples. He probably stayed in Rome from 1550 to 1553 and in Flanders from 1576 to 1578. The traces of his Flemish artistic heritage were much appreciated in the refined Mannerist circle, led by Vasari, in which he was active in Florence. He was especially skilled as a designer of tapestry cycles.

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