Zanetto Bugatto
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.
[3][4][2][1][5] Bugatto is credited with establishing the official likenesses of Galeazzo Sforza and his wife Bona of Savoy through several portraits, medals, and coins.
[1][4] In particular, Bugatto is arguably credited with designing or overseeing the official image of Galeazzo in 1467 for a new series of ducats which were to have only the Duke in preparation for his investiture.
[1][2][7][8] The trip to Paris was also financially beneficial for Zanetto Bugatto, who brought with him a portrait of Francesco and Galeazzo Maria Sforza, which he sold to King Louis XI of France.
[1][7] In 1473 Bugatto was commissioned to paint a portrait of Duke Galeazzo, Bona of Savoy, and their child for the choir of San Celso, Milan.
[3] At the suggestion of his ambassador in Venice, Leonardo Botta, Galeazzo wrote to hire Antonello da Messina who also worked in the Flemish-style as Bugatto did.
[1] Bugatto studied for three years under Rogier van der Weyden in Brussels and his Flemish-influenced figures and landscape backgrounds reflect the blend of Netherlandish and Italian styles that interested his patrons.
[1][2] Upon his return to Milan in 1463 the Sforza noticed van der Weyden's influence on Bugatto's painting and on 7 May 1463, Duchess Bianca Maria Visconti wrote a letter of thanks to Rogier, showing interest in Northern European art styles.
[2][4] It has been suggested that the Duke and Duchess of the younger Duchy of Milan may have been interested in copying some of the detail and smooth styles of court portraiture from the more developed Netherlandish tradition.
In modern times only one verified work of Bugatto remains, Portrait of Galeazzo Maria Sforza which currently resides in the Castello Sforzesco.
[10] 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.
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.
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.
Together with Francesco da Mantova and Maffio Civate, the mould-maker and goldsmith respectively, Zanetto created the medals based on the likeness of the Duke and Duchess at that point.
[2] Many of the account books from the court of Duke Galeazzo indicate that Bugatto was commissioned several times to collaborate on frescoes for several chapels in Milan and Pavia.
In 1472 Bugatto was commissioned along with Bonifacio Bembo and Leonardo Ponzoni to create a series of frescoes for Santa Maria delle Grazie outside Vigevano where the ducal family were depicted among religious scenes.
[3][7] In 1474 Bugatto competed with Bembo and Vincenzo Foppa for a contract to paint the frescoes and the altarpiece at the chapel in the Castello Sforza in Pavia.
Shortly before he died, Bugatto collaborated with these same two artists at Santa Giacomo fuori Pavia to work on a fresco cycle of the Life of Christ.
This work was full of conflicts as Duke Galeazzo was under considerable financial strain at this time and sought ways to cut costs.
