Principalis fabricator huius felicis urbis Panormi, in S. Montana, F. Scaduto, Antonio Belguardo a master of the late Gothic in Western Sicily and some of his contemporaries

Documentary data about the professional figure of Antonio Belguardo, which have come out during these last years, allow us to reconstruct a reliable and quiete complete biography of one of the most important and endowed masters of late gothic in western Sicily and Palermo. Active (operative) between the last twenty years of 15th century and early 16th century. The prestige and the role of the master are immediately evident when we consider the intense activity, which has been carried out, the success obtained with the “high” client and the rapid professional and social accession which has been confirmed by the royal head master’s office (1536) and by his son Giovanni’s clerical career, who could be identified as the bishop of Telese, Giovanni Beroardo from Palermo. The present work outlines Antonio Belguardo’s event (origins, professional training, debut, professional activity) and compares his professional downhill to the others masters and architects’one, characterized by different and social ambitions and active in some of Palermitan building yards, in whic worhed as royal head-master Antonio Belguardo.