Zanetto Bugatti

Zanetto Bugatto (1433 in Milan – ~1476 in Pavia or Milan), also known as Zanetto Bugatti, was one of the most well-documented court portraitists of the 1400s. A key painter of the Lombardy region, Bugatto worked for 15 years for the first two Sforza Dukes of Milan, particularly Duke Galeazzo Maria Sforza and his Duchess Bona of Savoy. His work was influenced by northern artists such as Rogier van der Weyden, Andrea Mantegna, and Jean Fouquet, all of whom he met during his travels. Bugatto's work was described by Galeazzo's ambassador Leonardo Botta as being similar to Sicilian painter Antonello da Messina. It is not clear whether Bugatto painted works other than portraits which he typically made on panel and in fresco. He is notable for being one of the first Italian artists, along with Antonello da Messina, to focus on portraiture in the Netherlandish style to such an exclusive extent.

Bugatto is credited with establishing the official likenesses of Galeazzo Sforza and his wife Bona of Savoy through several portraits, medals, and coins. Though he has no surviving signed or directly accredited works, the unusual level of documentation from Bugatto's commissions with the Sforza has allowed art historians to attribute to Bugatto the ducal Portrait of Galeazzo Maria Sforza in the Castello Sforzesco (pictured at right). There is some debate over whether the 1467 ducat coins of Galeazzo Maria Sforza may also be Bugatto's work. Several other surviving works are argued to be either direct copies or heavily influenced by Bugatto's works.

After his return to Milan Bugatto began to work more for his patron Galeazzo Maria Sforza, the son of Bianca Maria and new Duke with Bianca Maria as regent. Zanetto's commissions begin to reflect the wide array of contracts expected from a court portraitist of the time. Bugatto worked not only as a painter but as a designer of medals and coins, including designing the portraiture used on ducats with Duke Galeazzo and regent Bianca.

Works Detailed records of expenditures, receipts, and letters from Duke Galeazzo Sforza and the many people of his court remain today. From these records, much is known about the art commissioned by Galeazzo Sforza and thus the art of Zanetto Bugatto even if most of Bugatto's art no longer remains today. In modern times only one verified work of Bugatto remains, Portrait of Galeazzo Maria Sforza which currently resides in the Castello Sforzesco. Some historians argue that a second work, the portrait of Galeazzo Sforza on the ducal coins of 1467, can be credited to Bugatto as well, however, there is still debate over the true source of this work. In a letter from the master of the Milanese mint dated to 4 March 1467 Zanetto Bugatto is mentioned as having been commissioned to be involved with this series of ducats. The letter asks the duke for the lettering to be used for the new coins as the master of the mint was concerned they would not be able to finish the minting in time for the Duke's investiture on 15 March. In this letter, the master of mint mentions the design of his likeness being finished after meeting with a committee of artists including Bugatto and the engraver. There is some debate however among art historians as to which of two surviving coins this letter is referring to, or if Bugatto was even the artist of either of these coins at all. Some historians point out that the portrait of the Duke on both coins lacks certain Flemish influences from Rogier that were key in Bugatto's works. They use this lack of influence to argue that another unnamed artist actually created the portraiture of the coins. Alternately then, these historians interpret Bugatto not as the designer of the portraiture of the coin, but as an official council court portraitist to ensure that the likeness was close enough to Galeazzo to establish the coin as a cypher of rule.

Works Influenced by and Associated with Bugatto

Some works survive which, though not made by Bugatto himself, are theorized by historians to be either heavily influenced by his work or be direct copies of his portraits.

The Uffizi Portrait of Galeazzo Maria Sforza by Piero Pollaiuolo is one such piece. When Galeazzo visited Lorenzo Medici in Florence from 15 to 18 March 1471, it was a very important and celebrated event. Though Lorenzo Medici would have wanted a portrait of the Duke to commemorate the visit, there likely would have not been time for him to sit for one. Because of this, some historians suggest that Pollaiuolo's portrait was made based on Bugatto's work which may have either been loaned to the Medici's or shown to Pollaiuolo on a visit to Milan. These historians point to the Rogierian influence of this portrait as evidence that it may be based on Bugatto's work.

Several historians have associated other works with Bugatto and his travels due to the characteristics of Rogier-like Flemish portraits mixed with the northern Italian influences of Bugatto. However, none of the following works have been definitively attributed to Bugatto and all are strongly contested among art historians. Some of these arguably associated works include Portrait of a Young Man (Châteauroux, Mus. B.-A.), Virgin with Symbols of the Passion (Paris, priv. col), a panel of St Jerome (Bergamo, Gal. Accad. Carrara). Some scholars have also attributed two works, Virgin and Child and Galeazzo Maria Sforza (Gazzada, Mus. Villa Cagnola).