SIGNORELLI, se'nyA-rel'lS, LUCA ( 1441 1523). An Italian painter of the Renaissance, usually classed with the 'Umbrian school, but his affinities are rather Florentine. He was born at Cortona, studying first. under Piero della Fran cesca at Arezzo, and at an early period he came under the influence of Pollajuolo at Florence. His life was chiefly spent in peregrinations among the hill towns of Tuscany and Umbria, where most of his work was done. His first recorded activity (1470) is in his native town, but at an early period he worked independently at Florence, ex ecuting while there the "Pan." now in the Berlin Museum, for Lorenzo dc' Medici—a fine example of his treatment of the nude—and a Madonna.
now in the Uffizi. Among other works in Florence belonging to this early period is the fine portrait of a man in the Torrcgiani Palace. Other well-known altar pieces are a grand Madon na with Saints in the Cathedral of Perugia (14S9), and the Bicei altar-piece in San Agos tino. and Siena (I49S). Many of the small towns of 'Umbria, like Arezzo, Citta di Castello, and Tuscany, possess fine examples of his worlik But Luca's principal works are his frescoes, which far transcend his panel He was one of the painters selected to decorate the Sistine Chapel with subjects from the 'Life of Moses," and his fresco is esteemed by some the best of the entire series.' About the same time he received a commission for the decoration' of the sacristy of the Church of Loreto with sub jects. from the New Testament, which show the influence of Melozzo da Forti. At Siena lie also painted in fresco a series of antique subjects in the Petrucci Palace, and in the neighboring Con vent of Mont Oliveto (1497) eight large subjects from the "Life of Saint Benedict." Ilis success in these commissions led to his great master piece. the frescoes of the Chapel of the Madonna
in Orvieto Cathedral (1499-1509). The subject represented is the "End of the World:" in eight panels of the ceiling are Christ and the heavenly hierarchy. ‘while eight frescoes of the wall cul minate in the Judgment." Never, per haps, in the history of art has the human tig,nre been used to express such varied frenzy and emotion.
Under the pontificate of Julius II. and again in 1513 he visited Rome, but was unable to make headway against the rising genius of Michel angelo and Raphael. Tic retired to Cortona, where he was held in the highest honor, and continued at his craft. his work in no wise de teriorating, until his death, June 14. 1523. His last works arc principally in Cortona and the vicinity, like the "Piet:1" (1502) and the "Last Supper" (1512) in the Cathedral: an excellent example is the fine "Madonna" with the Trinity. two archangels, and saints in the Ullizi.
Sig,norelli's great importance in Italian art consists in his having been the first to use the nude body as the chief means of expression. He expresses emotion by means of muscular move ment and construction, the faces being only typi cal of general emotion. He also introduced the use of the human body as a purely decorative motive, foreshadowing Michelangelo. whom he undoubtedly influenced. In his work the draw ing. composition, and action are all excellent, and he shows also great strength of conception; but the effect of his painting is often marred by its crude color. Consult: Vischer, Luca Signo rein end die italicnisehe RenaissanCe (Leipzig, I$79) ; the same author's article in Dolime, Kunst and KiinstIcr (Engl. trans., London, 1880) ; and Antwell, Luca Signorelli (London, 1S99).