LUINI, BERNARDINO ( c. 1475–c. 1532), Italian painter of the Lombard school, the son of Giovanni Lutero of Luino, a village on the Lago Maggiore. Very little is known of Luini's early life and none of his early pictures is dated. They are painted in the style of the Lombard school as represented by Borgognone and Bramantino. To this period belong the "Pieta" in the church of Santa Maria della Passione, Milan; the frescoes painted for the Convent della Vettere now in the Brera, Milan; and the "Virgin with Child and St. John" of the Mond collection, National Gallery, London. In the works of his second period extending from about 1510-2o the influence of Leonardo is apparent. To this period may be assigned the "Virgin and Child" in the Brera, Milan ; "Modesty and Vanity" in the collection of Edmond de Rothschild ; the large Holy family in the Ambrosiana at Milan; the "Virgin and Child" with two saints in the museum at Buda pest ; the "Madonna" at the Louvre ; and the "St. Catherine" in the Mond collection, National Gallery, London (replica at Lenin grad). Leonardo's influence only modified to some extent Luini's own strongly individual style. of which the finest productions are those painted after 1520 in the so-called maniera bionda.
During the last decade of his life Luini carried out commis sions outside Milan. In 1523 he painted the fine polyptych for the parish church of Legnano ; in 1525 he executed the frescoes in the church of S. Maria Miracoli at Saronno, representing the "Marriage of the Virgin," "Christ among the Doctors," the "Presentation in the Temple," and the "Adoration of the Magi." The story goes on that Luini sought asylum in the sanctuary of Saronno after killing a man in self-defence and executed this work at the bidding of the monks. In 1526 he erected three altarpieces for the Cathedral of Como; in 1529 he was at Lugano painting the large fresco of the "Crucifixion" in S. Maria degli Angeli. His last important work was the cycle of frescoes in the Monastero Maggiore, Milan, executed shortly before his death in Milan in 1531 or 1532.
Vasari calls Luini "an exceedingly delicate and very pleasing master." A dignified serenity is the most marked characteristic of his works. Their beauty depends as much upon the loving and dreamy expression in the faces as upon the refinement of form. This quality of expression imbues his sacred pictures with a peculiarly religious grace. Besides the works mentioned above the following are notable. "Christ Teaching" (in the National Gallery, London) a fine work of the late period, for which a drawing is in the Albertina at Vienna. Of "Salome with the Head of John the Baptist" various versions exist—in the Louvre, the Prado, the Uffizi, the Museo Borromeo in Milan, the Vienna museum, and with Prince Ascoli at Naples. In the Castello at Milan are a series of medallion portraits of members of the Sporza family; in the Ambrosiana, a fresco representing the "Crowning with Thorns"; in the Poldi Pezzoli collection, the "Marriage of St. Catherine" and three other pictures. The Brera in Milan has the "Virgin Enthroned with Saints" (dated 1521) from the church of S. Maria in Brera; and the "Virgin and Child and the Rose-Hedge"; also the frescoes from the old church of La Pace with scenes of the life of the Virgin ; and the fresco decoration of the Casa Pelucca near Monza. This series is classic in conception. The "Girls playing at Forfeits" and the "Three Angels depositing St. Catherine in her Sepulchre" are gracefully composed. Portions of this same series are in the Louvre. Here too are frescoes taken from the Oratorio di Greco Milanese. In the Certosa di Paria is a fresco of "Madonna and Child," and one of "St. Sebastian and St. Christopher." See Dr. G. C. Williamson, B. Luini (Iwo) ; Luca Belt' ami, B. Luini e POpera sue a Lugano (Lugano, 191o) ; Luini 1512-1532. Materiale di studio raccolto a curs di Luca Beltrami (Milan, 1911).
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