Widely admired for his paintings of exquisitely beautiful Madonnas, Florentine Renaissance friar-artist Fra Filippo Lippi (c. 1406-69) gained renown also for his love affair with the nun Lucrezia who bore their son, Filippino Lippi, later a well-known painter himself. In this beautiful and compelling book, Megan Holmes shines new light on Lippi's life and career, from the first paintings he created while a friar in Santa Maria del Carmine to the later works he painted when living outside the monastery for the Medici family, their supporters, and other patrons. Focusing especially on the fascinating conjunction of Lippi's work as a painter and his experiences as a Carmelite friar, Holmes transforms our understanding of Filippo Lippi and of the way art was produced and viewed in fifteenth-century Florence. Unlike most monastic artists, Fra Filippo learned to paint only after joining a religious order. In the first section of the book, the author considers how the doctrines, rules, rituals, and practices of the Carmelites shaped Lippi's art and manner of envisioning sacred subjects. In the second section, Holmes discusses Lippi's life and painting after he left the monastery, demonstrating how his mature work broke new ground but continued to draw upon Carmelite influences. The final section of the book looks closely at three altarpieces Fra Filippo painted for monastic institutions and sets them in a broader social and religious context.

An exploration of the influence of the charismatic Milanese art theorist on his contemporaries in the field of drawing, painting, printmaking, decorative arts, and sculpture.

Energetic, incisive, spontaneous, and expressive, the drawings of Filippino Lippi (1457/58-1504) are among the most original and creative of the Italian Renaissance.

An exploration of ways of looking in Renaissance Florence, where works of art were part of a complex process of social exchange Renaissance Florence, of endless fascination for the beauty of its art and architecture, is no less intriguing for its dynamic political, economic, and social life. In this book Patricia Lee Rubin crosses the boundaries of all these areas to arrive at an original and comprehensive view of the place of images in Florentine society. The author asks an array of questions: Why were works of art made? Who were the artists who made them, and who commissioned them? How did they look, and how were they looked at? She demonstrates that the answers to such questions illuminate the contexts in which works of art were created, and how they were valued and viewed. Rubin seeks out the meeting places of meaning in churches, in palaces, in piazzas--places of exchange where identities were taken on and transformed, often with the mediation of images. She concentrates on questions of vision and visuality, on "seeing and being seen." With a blend of exceptional illustrations; close analyses of sacred and secular paintings by artists including Fra Angelico, Fra Filippo Lippi, Filippino Lippi, and Botticelli; and wide-ranging bibliographic essays, the book shines new light on fifteenth-century Florence, a special place that made beauty one of its defining features.

An introduction to 15th century Italian painting and the social history behind it, arguing that the two are interlinked and that the conditions of the time helped fashion distinctive elements in the painter's style.

"Knights of Art" is an enthralling work written by Amy Steedman, a British writer well-known for her contributions to children's literature. Some stories are violent and strange, while others creep up on you and slowly suck you in. This edition of "Knights of Art" is both modern and legible, with an eye-catching new cover and a beautifully typeset book. The realm of art and well-known Italian Renaissance painters are introduced to young readers in this book. Steedman's storytelling ability shows through throughout, as she crafts enthralling stories about the lives and artistic exploits of renowned luminaries such as Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Titian, and others. With captivating storytelling and vivid descriptions, she transports readers to the colorful and creative landscape of Renaissance Italy. "Knights of Art" is more than a collection of biographies; it demonstrates Steedman's commitment to making art history accessible and inspiring to young people. Her story immerses readers in the art, society, and historical backdrop of this pivotal era, prompting them to appreciate the beauty and value of these works.