TRABALLESI, Bartolomeo - b. ~1540 Firenze, d. 1585 Firenze

Italian painter, active in Florence in a Mannerist style. Although little is known about his personal circumstances, it seems that he was a pupil of Michele Tosini and his brother, Francesco, was also an artist. Furthermore, his contribution to the decoration of the studiolo of Francesco I in the Palazzo della Signoria in Florence (completed 1570-1572) may suggest that he was also a pupil of Giorgio Vasari who supervised the project. For the studiolo, Traballesi painted his dramatic interpretation of the Greek mythological story of Danaë’s impregnation by Zeus who comes to her in the form of golden rain.

Vasari employed some of the best Florentine artists to contribute to the pictorial decoration of the studiolo - including Alessandro Allori, Maso da San Friano and Santi di Tito as well as Vasari himself. Such a commission would have been hugely prestigious for the young Traballesi.