Bernardino dei Conti was an Italian painter who lived during the Renaissance period. Born in 1450, he was active primarily in Lombardy, in the northern part of Italy. His exact birthplace is not clearly documented, but he is often associated with the town of Pavia. He was part of the Lombard school of painting, which was distinct from the Florentine and Roman schools of the same era.
Conti's style was influenced by the works of Leonardo da Vinci, and he is known to have incorporated elements of Leonardo's techniques into his own paintings. This influence is particularly evident in his use of sfumato, a technique that involves the soft and gradual blending of tones and colors to create a smoky or hazy effect, lending a lifelike quality to his figures.
Despite being overshadowed by the fame of contemporary artists like Leonardo and Michelangelo, Bernardino dei Conti made his own mark in the artistic landscape of his time. He was commissioned to create artworks for various churches and noble families. Unfortunately, much of his work has not survived or has been attributed to other artists, which was a common issue of the period due to poor record-keeping and the practice of workshops where multiple artists would work on a single piece.
Conti's contributions to the world of art were not limited to his paintings. He was also involved in the artistic life of the communities he worked in, influencing other artists and contributing to the spread of the Renaissance style throughout Lombardy. He passed away in 1523, leaving behind a legacy that, while not as well-known as some of his contemporaries, remains significant for art historians studying the nuances of Renaissance art in Northern Italy.