Giovanni dal Ponte (Giovanni di Marco) (1385-1437)

• Was a Florentine minor master painter of the late-Gothic period.
• He is known by Giorgio Vasari as dal Ponte, a name derived from the location of his studio at the Piazza di Santo Stefano a Ponte.
• Many other documents cite his name as Giovanni di Marco.
• After joining the Arte dei Medici e degli Speziali in 1410 and the Compagnia di S Luca in 1413, dal Ponte opened his studio in the late 1420s.
• He hired Florentine painter Smeraldo di Giovanni as his assistant.
• Smeraldo was hired after dal Ponte was imprisoned in 1424 due to failure to repay his debts.
• Dal Ponte used his craftsmanship to create not only Panel paintings, but also frescoes and decorations for small objects.
• In 1427, Giovanni gilded candlesticks for the Bigallo, a lay charitable organization associated with Santa Maria Nuova.
• From 1429 to 1435, dal Ponte became involved with larger projects, including several fresco cycles at Santa Trinita.
• The frescoes included scenes from the life of Saint Paul in the Cappella d'Abbaco and Saint Bartholemew and Saint Peter's martyrdom in the Cappella Scali.
• Dal Ponte designed several Triptychs in 1434.
• Dal Ponte was well-known for his talent in decorating cassoni, or marriage chests, which peaked in popularity between the 1430s and 1440s.
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