THE GOTHIC FANTASIES OF CARLO CRIVELLI

Carlo Crivelli's paintings have been described as one of the major achievements of Northern Italian art in the XV century and many of his works can be seen in the Marche. Fortunately, many remain in the church for which they were painted.
Crivelli was born in Venice around 1435, and among his early influences was Mantegna, the Renaissance master from Padua.
His carrier in Venice hit a setback in 1457 when he was convicted of adultery and sent to prison. After that it seems that he left Venice for good, although he continued to sign himself "Caroli Crivelli Veneti". By 1468 he was firmly established in the Marche, near Ascoli Piceno, where he remained for the rest of his life until his death in around 1493.
All of Carlo Cerivelli's pictures are of religious subject. His style was highly individual, with a strong element of Late Gothic fantasy. His masterly technique and extravagant attention to detail was also rather old-fashioned for its time. He left Venice too early to be influenced by Bellini's atmospheric art. He also still used raiser plaster to give a three-dimensional effect to details such as drops of Christ's blood or the tears of mourners.
Vittore Crivelli was almost certainly Carlo's younger brother and they are known to have worked together on several occasions in the Marche. Little, however, is known about his life. Though he was a fine craftsman, his art never reached the masterly heights of his brother.
Some of his works and where you find them:

• Madonna and Child - Pinacoteca Civica - Ancona;
• Madonna and Child with Saints - Dome (Cappella del Sacramento) - Ascoli Piceno;
• Mourning the Dead Christ - Cathedral of Saint Emidio - Ascoli Piceno;
• Paints in Church of Saint Martino - Monte San Martino;
• Madonna with Child - Cathedral of Saint Emidio - Ascoli Piceno.