Amadeo, Homodeo, Homodeus, or Omodeo, Giovanni Antonio (c.1447–1522). Important Italian architect, engineer, and sculptor. Born in Pavia, he assisted in the decoration of the chiostro of the Certosa there from 1466, and designed the portal of the small cloister (c.1470) as well as the terracotta lavabo. His first significant architectural work was the Colleoni mortuary chapel attached to the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore, Bergamo (1470–3), for which he also designed the sumptuous tomb of Bartolomeo Colleoni (c.1470–5). The design of the chapel is derived from Michelozzi's Portinari Chapel, Sant' Eustorgio, Milan, and on Bergamo Cathedral (possibly by Filarete). The very elaborate, even fantastic, encrustation of the Cappella Colleone façade is also a theme found in Amadeo's work on the front of the Certosa at Pavia, a project with which he was first associated in 1474, and given responsibility for the whole in 1491. These designs demonstrate the mixing of Classical principles favoured by Tuscan architects with the love of decoration found in Northern Italy. The polychrome Renaissance screen–façade of the Certosa (carried out with Antonio (d. 1495) and Cristofero (d. c.1481) Mantegazza) conceals the basilican form behind.

As chief architect to Milan Cathedral he, with Giovanni Giacomo Dolcebuono (1440–1506), was involved in the construction of the Gothic domical vault and lantern (tiburio), but the design reflected the views of Francesco di Giorgio Martini and Bramante, who considered that the architecture must conform to the Gothic style of the Duomo, an unusually sensitive perception. Amadeo also worked on the cupola of Santa Maria presso San Celso (from 1494), the Ospedale Maggiore (1493–4), and Bramante's choir at Santa Maria delle Grazie (from 1498), all in Milan.

Bibliography

Heydenreich (1996);
Schofield et al. (1989);
Shell & Castelfranchi (eds.) (1993);
Jane Turner (1996)