lorenzo lotto itinerary

Born in Venice around 1480, the artist chose to move to Treviso at a very young age, where his presence is documented at least from 1503 to 1506, despite frequent trips back to Venice. In this mainland Venetian city, he connected with the humanist circle of Bishop Bernardo De Rossi of Parma—a refined circle dedicated to spiritual, alchemical-philosophical, and literary studies. This environment led to his rapid intellectual and artistic maturity, soon securing him advantageous and lucrative commissions.

By October 1506, Lotto was in the Marche region, preparing to work on the grandiose polyptych commissioned by the Dominican Fathers of Recanati. This masterpiece represents the visual synthesis of his entire formative journey, marked by highly complex cultural readings and references, and it closed the early phase of his career.

In 1508, he was in Rome to paint the rooms of Julius II’s new apartment in the Vatican. What most challenged his ideological and stylistic assumptions was undoubtedly his direct confrontation with Raphael, who was given sole responsibility for the Vatican project starting in October 1509.

The period between 1509 and 1516 contains large blind spots regarding the Venetian artist’s movements. However, on October 18, 1511, he was certainly in Jesi, where he signed an agreement with the Confraternity of the Buon Gesù for a painting depicting the “Deposition,” and in Recanati, where he signed the “Transfiguration and St. James the Pilgrim” for the Confraternity of the Nobles.

The following decade, spent in Bergamo, undoubtedly represents Lotto’s happiest and most creative phase after his doubts in Rome. At the end of 1525, after more than twenty years away, he decided to return to Venice. There, however, the rising star of Titian—with his sensual and joyful painting style—precluded Lotto from winning the favor of local patrons.

Fortunately, work was once again guaranteed by the provinces, especially Bergamo, for which he created the colored designs for the choir intarsia (marquetry) of Santa Maria Maggiore, and the Marche, where he sent imposing altarpieces. Dated 1531 are the two canvases featuring St. Sebastian and St. Roch in Castelplanio, now preserved in Berlin; the following year saw the creation of the St. Lucy Polyptych in Jesi, followed by the “Visitation” (also in Jesi), the “Madonna of the Rosary” in Cingoli, “St. Christopher, St. Roch, and St. Sebastian” in Loreto, and the striking “Crucifixion” in Monte San Giusto.

In 1538, the painter was in Ancona, where he began writing the Libro di spese diverse (Account Book), preserved in Loreto, in which he recorded a bit of everything—a humble chronicle of work commissions, paintings created and sold, and money received or owed. In 1547, he painted the “Assumption” in Mogliano, and two years later moved back to Ancona to execute another altarpiece of the Assumption for the church of San Francesco alle Scale.

Left alone and penniless, he decided in 1552 to retire permanently to Loreto, where the governor of the Sanctuary generously provided him with room, board, and the opportunity to continue his work at the convent. Two years later, the painter decided to become an oblate—a sort of lay monk—in almost exclusive service to the Holy House (Santa Casa).

During his final years, Lotto executed further works. In particular, he painted a series of canvases depicting Stories from the Life of Christ for the choir of the Sanctuary of Loreto, assisted in this endeavor by several pupils he kept in his Loreto workshop. During those final years, he also worked on the Amici Altarpiece for the Cathedral of Jesi, which unfortunately has been lost. A piece that is certainly autographed and authentic is the beautiful and final “Presentation in the Temple,” which remained unfinished.

We do not know the exact date of his death, which occurred between September 1556 and July 1557, when the administration of the Holy House collected three florins and five bolognini from the sale of a small mattress that had belonged to Lorenzo Lotto.

In Jesi, visitors can admire Lotto’s works (the Deposition, the St. Lucy Altarpiece, the two small panels depicting the Angel Announcing and the Virgin Annunciate, the Madonna of the Roses, and the Visitation) at the Civic Art Gallery (Pinacoteca Civica) on the first floor of Palazzo Pianetti.

From Jesi, you can then set out on a journey to discover the towns and villages that house some of the masterpieces by this Venetian Renaissance painter. The itinerary includes visits to churches and art galleries across the provinces of Ancona, Macerata, and Pesaro-Urbino. A single combined ticket is available for purchase, granting access to all museum sites in the Marche region that preserve Lotto’s works. It also includes a visit to the multimedia exhibition of the Istituto Marchigiano di Enogastronomia (Marche Institute of Food and Wine) as well as the Landscape Interpretation Center.