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Renaissance Jewish Artists: Ostiglio, del Buono, Missal

The Renaissance, a period of profound cultural rebirth and artistic innovation spanning the 14th to the 17th century, is synonymous with great masters like Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Raphael. However, we overlook the contributions of Jewish artists during this transformative era. This blog post sheds light on three Jewish artists who not only enriched the tapestry of Renaissance art but also navigated the complexities of identity and faith.

The Historical Context – Jews in Renaissance Europe

During the Renaissance, the Jewish community faced a tumultuous existence marked by persecution, forced conversions, and social marginalization. Despite these challenges, Jewish artists found ways to express their creativity and contribute to the broader artistic landscape. Cities such as Venice, Florence, and Rome became places where Jewish and Christian cultures intersected.

Jewish Artists in Renaissance Italy

Jona Ostiglio

Among the luminaries of this era, Jona Ostiglio (born around 1620-1630) emerges as a significant figure. Ostiglio’s paintings were a favorite of the Medici family. With support from wealthy patrons, he was a member of the famed Academy of Fine Arts, and remained the only Jew admitted to that guild until the 20th century.

However, he had to hide his Jewish identity. It wasn’t until recently that previously unattributed paintings were identified as Ostiglio’s work.

Jona Ostiglio, Paesaggio, Farnesina. painting, jewish landscape artists in the renaissance
Jona Ostiglio, Paesaggio, Farnesina, 17th century
Jona Ostiglio, Paesaggio con persone che sbarcano, Palazzo Pitti
Jona Ostiglio, Paesaggio con persone che sbarcano, Palazzo Pitti, 17th century

Mariano del Buono

We don’t know much about Mariano del Buono (1433-1504), except that he was a sought after illustrator who worked for both Jewish and non-Jewish clients. He decorated a Jewish prayer book as well as a Christian choir book.

Mariano del Buono, Prayer book, tempera, ink, and gold leaf on parchment

Master of the Barbo Missal

Like Mariano del Buono, we don’t know much about him. This prolific artist worked for the Christian clergy, secular princes, and Jews. One of his most famous works is an illustrated Mishna.

Master of the Barbo Missal, an illustration from a page of the Mishna, 1457

The Sad Dilemma of Renaissance Jewish Artists

Artistic collaboration between Jews and non-Jews was always on shaky ground. Although some Jewish artists broke through societal barriers, they found that their livelihood, and even their life, depended on the whims of the ruling class. And even then, their work couldn’t be attributed to a Jew.

Some Jewish artists chose not to identify with their religious brethren and married non-Jews or even converted to Christianity.

An article about Jona Ostiglio in the Jerusalem Post entitled Lost Jewish Renaissance Painter Favored by the Medici Discovered, sums up the relationship between Jews and non-Jews in the art world at that time:

‘The rule was that they couldn’t enter guilds… Not that they couldn’t work – they could – but they worked without signing their names…’

Dripping Honey on Shofar and Pomegranates, jewish art, watercolor painting
Dripping Honey on Shofar and Pomegranates, watercolor, © Rhonda Roth, All Rights Reserved. Available for sale on Saatchi Art.

More on Jewish artists in history: Jewish Artists of the 1800s: Pissarro, Levitan, Liebermann


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