Zanino di Pietro (active Bologna 1389, d. by 1448 Venice)

Zanino di Pietro, also known as Giovanni da Francia, was one of the major Venetian painters of the early 15th century. He spent his early career in Bologna but eventually settled in Venice, after which his work was influenced greatly by that of Gentile da Fabriano (c. 1385-before 1427) and Michelino da Besozzo (fl.1388-after 1450). We are grateful to Everett Fahy for suggesting the attribution based on firsthand inspection, and for pointing out that the present painting was probably inspired by the Coronation of the Virgin panels by Gentile now in the J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles (inv. 77.PB.92) and the Pinacoteca di Brera, Milan.