Biography

Milanese painter, one of the most prominent of Leonardo's followers in Lombardy. Little is known of his life, but his prolific output indicates that he must have enjoyed a successful career (he was unusual among Leonardo's followers in that he painted numerous frescos as well as easel pictures).

Luini sentimentalized Leonardo's style, and this helped to win him great popularity with the Victorians. His work is well represented in the Brera in Milan and many of his frescos and altarpieces are in Lombard churches. He painted mythological as well as religious subjects. Luini's best work is of high quality, but he ran a busy workshop and some of his followers and copyists vulgarized his style into almost a parody of Leonardo, with sickly smirks and exaggerated chiaroscuro.