Crossword Genius

American who serves German artist (6)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

giotto

'artist' is the definition.
(14th-century Italian painter)

'american who serves german' is the wordplay.
'american who serves' becomes 'GI' (GI can informally mean a US soldier).
'german' becomes 'otto' (I've seen this before).
'gi'+'otto'='GIOTTO'

(Other definitions for giotto that I've seen before include "C thirteen-fourteen Italian painter" , "Fourteenth century Florentine artist" , "C14 Florentine frescoist" , "Italian painter, 1267-1337" , "Florentine painter" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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