Masolino da Panicale: Pioneer of Fresco and Early Oil Painting Masolino da Panicale (c. 1383 – 1447), nicknamed “Little Tom,” stands as a pivotal figure in the Florentine Renaissance, bridging the stylistic gap between Gothic grandeur and the burgeoning innovations of early humanist art. Born in Panicale, Italy—a town nestled near Florence—his artistic journey began amidst the vibrant intellectual ferment of his time, shaping him into one of the foremost fresco painters of his era and arguably the first to experiment with oil painting techniques. Early Life and Artistic Training Little is…