Giovanni Antonio Amadeo

Who was Giovanni Antonio Amadeo?

Giovanni Antonio Amadeo was an Italian early Renaissance sculptor, architect, and engineer.

Amadeo was born in Pavia. In 1470 he was commissioned by Bartolomeo Colleoni to complete his funerary chapel, the Cappella Colleoni in Bergamo, which had been begun by Guiniforte and Francesco Solari. Amadeo added polychrome decoration and many sculptures in the ancient style including medallions, small columns, busts, reliefs of "Histories from the Old Testament" and "Histories of Hercules". Amadeo also designed the funerary monument to Medea Colleoni, which was intended for the church of Santa Maria della Basella in Urgnano. The condottiero's tomb was realized in collaboration with other artists, with Amadeo providing the reliefs of the lower sarcophagus and of the smaller upper sarcophagus, as well seven statues of the Virtues.

Amadeo was also commissioned by Duke Galeazzo Maria Sforza to work for some years in the Certosa di Pavia. During 1473-1476, Amadeo realized half of the bas-reliefs in the right side of the façade. In 1480 he finished the arch of the Persian Martyrs in the Olivetani Monastery of Cremona.