Biography

Giovanni da Oriolo (also Giovanni da Faenza), Italian painter. His oeuvre is known through one painting, the signed profile portrait of Lionello d'Este (National Gallery, London). Stylistically similar to Pisanello's Portrait of Lionello d'Este (c. 1444; Accademia Carrara, Bergamo), Giovanni's painting probably dates to the same period or slightly later. There is a payment to 'Magistro Johanni de Faventia' dated 21 June 1447, which may refer to the portrait.

He returned to Faenza in 1449 and soon after was commissioned to paint portraits of Astorgio II Manfredi's two daughters, Elisabetta and Barbara (untraced). He is recorded as court painter in Faenza and is described as 'pictor publicus' and 'magister' in 1461. In 1452 'Marcius' is given as his second name; later the family name Savoretti appears. He is said to be dead in a document of 24 September 1474. Giovanni di Giuliano da Oriolo should not be confused with his compatriot Giovanni (di Andrea) da Riolo (active 1433), nor with Giovanni Pietro da Oriolo, who painted in Asolo.