By Livia Lupi
Painter Pomponio Amalteo died on 9 March 1588 at San Vito il Tagliamento in Friuli. He was born in Motta di Livenza in 1505, and became a pupil of Pordenone. He later married Pordenone’s daughter Graziosa, and moved from Motta di Livenza to San Vito al Tagliamento. Here, he executed his most famous work, a series of frescoes on the life of the Virgin in the church of Santa Maria dei Battuti (1533-39).
Pomponio was a very prolific painter, although he was later accused by many art historian of merely copying Pordenone’s work. Pomponio painted many religious altarpieces and frescoes, many of which have degraded considerably over time, but he also realised five pictures representing episodes from Roman history for the Hall of the Notaries at Belluno. His brother Girolamo worked for him as an assistant, as, perhaps, did his daughter Quintilia.
Reference: Angiola Maria Romanini, “Amalteo, Pomponio,” Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani, Enciclopedia Treccani.
Assumption of the Virgin, 1533-39, Santa Maria dei Battuti, San Vito al Tagliamento. Fresco.
Christ Calling St Peter and St Andrew, 1530s?, Sant’Andrea, Portogruaro. Fresco.