Gioacchino di Giovanni

Gioacchino de' Gigantibus or Gioacchino di Giovanni ( 1450–1485) was an illuminator, miniaturist and copyist active in Italy. Originally from Bavaria, he probably learned his trade in Florence. Around 1450 he moved to Rome, where he received commissions from high-ranking church officials. In his life, he would eventually work for six different popes. In the 1460s he also spent time in Siena, and moved to the court of Ferdinand I of Naples in Naples in 1471. In the early 1480s he returned to Rome, where he is mentioned for the last time in 1485.

The books decorated by Gioacchino de' Gigantibus are characterised by the profuse use of the white vine-stem decoration, a decorative element he helped popularise outside Florence; putti, birds and animals. He occasionally worked together with other artists. The preserved books decorated by Gioacchino are dispersed among different collections, including the Vatican Library, British Library and the French national library.

Life Gioacchino was born in Bavaria; his birthplace may have been Rothenburg ob der Tauber, but it has also been suggested that his epithet de' Gigantibus may be derived from the Nördlinger Ries, as the homonym Riese in German means "Giant". He was probably taught his trade in Florence. His exact identity has been a matter of some confusion and uncertainty. The names Gioacchino de' Gigantibus, Gioacchino di Giovanni, Gioacchino di Alemagna and Giovanni Tudischino, or variants thereof, have all been identified with the same artist. Research made during the second half of the 20th century however indicates that at least Tudischino was another, different person. and the last dated documents referring to his life are two payments for some miniatures by Innocent VIII, the sixth pope he worked for, effected in August and September of that year. and the Victoria and Albert Museum all have books decorated by him.