Biography

Italian intarsia artist. He entered the Olivetan Order at Monte Oliveto Maggiore near Siena in 1476, and after ordination (1477-79) he was sent to the monastery of San Giorgio, Ferrara, where he learnt the art of wood inlay from Fra Sebastiano da Rovigno, called 'Schiavone'. Giovanni then worked as a wood-carver in Perugia (1480-84).

Between 1491 and 1499, he executed the famous choir of Santa Maria in Organo in Verona. In 1503 he received the commission for the stalls in the choir at Monteoliveto, near Siena. The work, completed in 1505, now can be admired in the cathedral of Siena. From 1506 to 1511, Fra Giovanni worked in the Monteoliveto monastery in Naples. In 1511-12 he worked in the Stanza della Segnatura in the Vatican, however, his intarsia were soon replaced by another decoration. At the end of his career he was again in northern Italy (Verona and Lodi).

Fra Giovanni da Verona was not satisfied with the colour range provided by natural forests and, wanting to compete with painting, he stained the wood in the desired colours.