FAQ

Fondo Oro is a digital publication and archive dedicated to the study, documentation, and appreciation of Italian gold-ground panel paintings from the late Middle Ages to the early Renaissance (c. 1250–1430). The goal is to provide a centralized resource for collectors, scholars, curators and other fondo oro enthusiasts to explore the Masters, Subjects and Objects of this luminous era.

Fondo Oro focuses specifically on the transformative period between c. 1250 and 1430. This timeframe captures the evolution from Byzantine-influenced traditions to the naturalism of the early Renaissance.

We document the full range of influential and notable masters from various Italian schools, including Florentine like Giotto di Bondone and Bernardo Daddi, Sienese Masters such as Duccio di Buoninsegna and Simone Martini, and early Venetian artists like Paolo Veneziano.

As you walk through the galleries of early Italian painting, you'll find that around 70% of the gold-ground works were created by anonymous geniuses to whom we have given affectionate placeholder names or a “Name-of-convenience” Master of the Magdalen.

Yes. The website features a dedicated "Subjects" navigation that categorizes works by common themes and figures. This includes prevalent motifs such as the Madonna con Bambino (Madonna and Child), the Crocifissione di Cristo (Crucifixion), and the Incoronazione di Maria Vergine (Coronation of the Virgin).

To assist in technical and historical research, we categorize works by their original form and function. This includes categories for (complete) Polyptychs, Single Predella panels, Triptychs, Painted Crucifixes and Dossals, as well as smaller portable altarpieces. These are among the most common Objects.

Fondo Oro Insider is a digital newsletter. Subscribing provides you with curated updates on exhibitions, auction highlights, and exclusive educational content regarding new discoveries in the field of Italian gold-ground panel paintings.

The images in the website are sourced from various public sources and private collections. While many are in the public domain (such as those from Wikimedia Commons), others may be subject to copyright. We provide photo credits for all works to assist researchers in identifying the original image sources.

Under "Resources" you see “Publications”. There you find a list of recommended publications. This includes monographs on Italian gold-ground masters or works and exhibition or collection catalogs.

If you have information regarding specific panels, provenance details, or wish to collaborate on a project, please contact me at info@fondo-oro.art. I’m based in Bonn, Germany.