ORIOLI, Pietro di Francesco degli
(b. 1458, Siena, d. 1496, Siena)

Biography

Italian painter. Born into a family of clock makers, Orioli's name derives from "degli Orologi", meaning "of the Clocks", a moniker adopted by his father, who was charged with the maintenance of all public timepieces in Siena and San Gimignano.

Orioli likely trained in the workshop of the leading Sienese painter, Matteo di Giovanni who was a product of the Quattrocento Sienese school. He is also known to have worked with Francesco di Giorgio, a painter, sculptor and former pupil of Il Vecchietta.

His first documented work is Christ Washing the Feet of the Apostles (1489, Baptistry in Siena). Other important works include Madonna and Child with Saint Jerome and a Female Saint (c. 1490), a Nativity (c. 1494-96), and an Adoration of the Shepherds dating to the last part of his career.

Stylistically, Orioli's work seems to related be to that of his Florentine contemporary, Botticelli.