Study for the Purification of the Virgin

Giovanni Battista Naldini was an Italian Mannerist painter who was born in Florence in 1535. He studied under Jacopo Pontormo and later became a member of the Accademia del Disegno. Naldini's early work was heavily influenced by his teacher, but he eventually developed his own style, characterised by bright colours, dramatic lighting and complex compositions. Naldini's most famous works include frescoes in the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence depicting scenes from the life of Cosimo I de' Medici. He also painted altarpieces for several churches in Florence and other towns in Tuscany. Naldini was highly regarded by his contemporaries and was considered one of the leading painters of his time. He died in Florence in 1591.