Early Life and Formation in Foligno Niccolò di Liberatore, better known as Niccolò da Foligno or L’Alunno—a moniker bestowed upon him by Giorgio Vasari due to a misreading of an inscription identifying him as “Nicholas, alumnus of Foligno”—was born around 1430 in the vibrant Umbrian town of Foligno, Italy. His artistic journey began within the familial sphere, apprenticing under his father-in-law, Pietro di Giovanni Mazzaforte. This early training laid a foundational understanding of painting techniques and established connections within the local artistic community. While details of his ini…