Pisano, Andrea

(Andrea di Pontedera; c. 1290-1348)

   Italian sculptor and architect from Pontedera on Pisan territory. Andrea, who is unrelated to Nicola and Giovanni Pisano, was the son of a notary named Ser Ugolino Nini. Nothing is known of his training or artistic activity before 1330 when he is documented working on the bronze doors for the Baptistery of Florence. In 1337, Andrea modified the upper part of the Campanile of the Cathedral of Florence, originally designed by Giotto, by adding niches to contain sculptures. He then executed four prophets, kings Solomon and David, and two sibyls for these niches. In the same year, he executed a series of rhomboid reliefs for the Campanile's base. These are arranged in two rows, the upper row depicting seven planets, seven Virtues, seven sacraments, and seven liberal arts. In the lower row are scenes from the Book of Genesis, the arts, the sciences, and the labors of man. They refer to the perfection of God's creation and human accomplishment. In 1340, Andrea continued the building of the Cathedral of Florence following the plans provided by Arnolfo di Cambio, who died in 1302, leaving the structure incomplete. Seven years later he was in Orvieto, working on the cathedral. He died in 1348, victim to the Black Death.