DOSSO DOSSI, dOeso diis'se (properly GIOVANNI DI NICOLO LUTER0), Italian painter: b. near Mantua 1470; d. Ferrara 1542. He was one of the leaders of the Lombardo-Ferrarese school and studied under Lorenzo Costa or Panetti (a disputed point). His brother, Giovanni Battista (d. 1546) was less dis tinguished as a painter. He assisted in execut ing many of the larger paintings. The broth ers are said to have spent six years at Rome and five at Venice. Under the patronage of the Gonzagas at Modena, and later of the dukes of Ferrara, they executed many decorative paintings for palaces and churches and like wise numerous minor works of art. 'Saint Bar tholomew and Saint John at Patmos' (1527) at the cathedral of Ferrara is ascribed to Dosso Dossi. Together they painted the 'Labours of Hercules> in the Cortile of the Ducal Palace of Ferrara, a 'Madonna with Saints' (1522) at the cathedral at Modena, and frescoes in the Castle of Trent, since destroyed. They are mentioned
by Ariosto in 'Orlando Furioso) (XX XIII, 2) with the highest praise. In manner Dosso Dossi resembles Titian. His pictures are distinguished by their bright coloring and imaginativeness. Other paintings are 'The Bacchanal' in the Palazzo Pitti, Florence, and at the Dresden Museum; (Justice' ; (Diana a'nd Endymion' ;
of the
;
Dream); 'Judith,' and (The Dispute of the Four Doctors of the Church,' which is generally considered his masterpiece. His
was painted for the Palazzo Borghese, Rome, and his (Saint Sebastian' for the Brera at Milan. The broth ers excelled in landscape painting, and are said to have introduced the painting of independent scenes. Consult Zwanziger,