Delphi Complete Works of Fra Angelico (Illustrated) E-Book

Fra Angelico

• Herausgeber: Delphi Publishing Ltd
• Kategorie: Geisteswissenschaft
• Serie: Delphi Masters of Art
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 123

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2022

Beschreibung

One of the most celebrated painters of the fifteenth century, Fra Angelico is the only artist to be canonised as a saint, whose works embody a serene religious attitude and strong Classical influence. Part saint, part artist, Angelico was placed at the forefront of innovation, helping to develop the basic techniques and devices that would become staples of the Italian Renaissance. He gave emphasis to realistic perspective and modelling of figures in space, following on from the innovations of Masaccio. His dedication to naturalism anticipated the Renaissance love for classicism, producing innovative works that broke down the restraints of rigidly partitioned Gothic altarpieces. Delphi’s Masters of Art Series presents the world’s first digital e-Art books, allowing readers to explore the works of great artists in comprehensive detail. This volume presents Fra Angelico’s complete works in beautiful detail, with concise introductions, hundreds of high quality images and the usual Delphi bonus material. (Version 1)

* The complete paintings of Fra Angelico – over 300 images, fully indexed and arranged in chronological and alphabetical order
* Includes reproductions of rare works
* Features a special ‘Highlights’ section, with concise introductions to the masterpieces, giving valuable contextual information
* Enlarged ‘Detail’ images, allowing you to explore Angelico’s celebrated works in detail, as featured in traditional art books
* Hundreds of images in colour – highly recommended for viewing on tablets and smartphones or as a valuable reference tool on more conventional eReaders
* Special chronological and alphabetical contents tables for the paintings
* Easily locate the artworks you wish to view
* Features two bonus biographies, including Vasari’s legendary account – discover Angelico's world

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CONTENTS:

The Highlights
Fiesole Altarpiece (1425)
The Last Judgment (c. 1425)
Annalena Altarpiece (c. 1430)
Annunciation (1433)
Linaiuoli Triptych (1433)
Deposition (1434)
Perugia Triptych (1437)
San Marco Altarpiece (c. 1440)
Annunciation (c. 1441)
Noli me tangere (c. 1443)
Coronation of the Virgin (1443)
Chapel of Pope Nicholas V Frescoes (1447-1448)
Bosco ai Frati Altarpiece (c. 1450)
Coronation of the Virgin (c. 1450)
Flight into Egypt (c. 1451)
Adoration of the Magi (1453)

The Paintings
The Complete Paintings
Alphabetical List of Paintings

The Biographies
Fra Giovanni da Fiesole (1550) by Giorgio Vasari
Fra Angelico (1911) by William Michael Rossetti

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Leseprobe

Fra Angelico

(c. 1395-1455)

Contents

The Highlights

Fiesole Altarpiece (1425)

The Last Judgment (c. 1425)

Annalena Altarpiece (c. 1430)

Annunciation (1433)

Linaiuoli Triptych (1433)

Deposition (1434)

Perugia Triptych (1437)

San Marco Altarpiece (c. 1440)

Annunciation (c. 1441)

Noli me tangere (c. 1443)

Coronation of the Virgin (1443)

Chapel of Pope Nicholas V Frescoes (1447-1448)

Bosco ai Frati Altarpiece (c. 1450)

Coronation of the Virgin (c. 1450)

Flight into Egypt (c. 1451)

Adoration of the Magi (1453)

The Paintings

The Complete Paintings

Alphabetical List of Paintings

The Biographies

Fra Giovanni da Fiesole (1550) by Giorgio Vasari

Fra Angelico (1911) by William Michael Rossetti

The Delphi Classics Catalogue

© Delphi Classics 2022

Version 1

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Masters of Art Series

Fra Angelico

By Delphi Classics, 2022

COPYRIGHT

Masters of Art - Fra Angelico

First published in the United Kingdom in 2022 by Delphi Classics.

© Delphi Classics, 2022.

All rights reserved.  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of the publisher, nor be otherwise circulated in any form other than that in which it is published.

ISBN: 978 1 80170 079 5

Delphi Classics

is an imprint of

Delphi Publishing Ltd

Hastings, East Sussex

United Kingdom

Contact: [email protected]

www.delphiclassics.com

Explore the Renaissance…

The Highlights

Vicchio, Tuscany — Fra Angelico was born Guido di Pietro in the hamlet of Rupecanina, Vicchio, towards the end of the fourteenth century.

The Highlights

In this section, a sample of Fra Angelico’s most celebrated works is provided, with concise introductions, special ‘detail’ reproductions and additional biographical images.

Fiesole Altarpiece (1425)

One of the most prominent figures of fifteenth century painting, Fra Angelico (‘Angelic Brother’) was born Guido di Pietro in Vicchio, north east of Florence. No information survives regarding his childhood years and adolescence. His first mention in documents occurs in 1417, where he is listed as a lay painter. Between the years 1420 and 1422, he became a Dominican friar and resided in the priory of San Domenico at Fiesole — situated in the suburbs of Florence — taking on the name of Fra Giovanni da Fiesole. There he was likely influenced by the teachings of Giovanni Dominici, the militant leader of the reformed Dominicans, whose writings defended traditional spirituality against the advancing ideology of humanism.

He also came under the influence of his fellow friar Saint Antoninus Pierozzi, who is believed to have inspired Angelico’s devout faith.  Legend tells that Angelico was later offered the position of archbishop of Florence, which he refused so that Antoninus could take the vacancy. According to the art biographer Giorgio Vasari, Angelico was trained by the greatest painter and miniaturist of the Gothic tradition, Lorenzo Monaco, whose influence is manifest in Angelico’s clear and painstaking expression, as well as in the depicting of sacred figures with a vibrant luminosity.

While living in Fiesole, Angelico was occupied with two principal pursuits: the life of a pious friar and the vigorous life of a prolific painter. Vasari describes him as “saintly and excellent” and, not long after his death, he was bestowed the epithet of Angelico due to his extreme moral virtues. In his early years as an artist, he followed closely the new artistic trends of the early Renaissance, revealing an increased appreciation for the representation of space through perspective, as shown in the groundbreaking works of Masaccio (1401-1428).

Angelico’s earliest major work is the Fiesole Altarpiece, which was completed in 1425 for the Convent of San Domenico, Fiesole. It had been originally commissioned for the high altar in the convent’s church, but was later moved to a side altar where it is on display today. In 1501 Lorenzo di Credi, a student of Andrea del Verrocchio and contemporary of Leonardo, repainted the original background, which was probably gilded, with a more modern landscape, featuring a throne with baldachin, trompe-l’œil reliefs and two landscapes between the pillars. The Gothic cusps were also eliminated during that time.

The altarpiece is a Maestà artwork, which was fashionable in the Florence at the time, presenting the Virgin enthroned. The central group of the Madonna and Child is surrounded by eight angels, all depicted in smaller size. The naked Christ Child is represented holding two flowers: a white rose, symbolising purity, and a red rose, foreshadowing the Passion and the Eucharist. The panel was intended for the high altar, where the celebration of the sacrament takes place. Masaccio’s influence can be seen in the space conveyed by the tiled floor at the foot of the panel. Also, in the two side panels, the lines of floor stretch in towards the centre point at sharper angles, encouraging the impression of greater depth to an otherwise crowded scene of angels and saints.

In the left section, there are the figures of Saint Thomas of Aquino and Saint Barnabas, while to the right Saint Dominic and Saint Peter of Verona are portrayed. Three of these saints were of the Dominican Order, in keeping with the convent, while the fourth, the namesake of Barnaba degli Agli, was a Florentine citizen that had donated 6,000 florins for the convent’s restoration and enlargement.

Art scholars have pointed out the resemblance of the altarpiece to Masaccio’s San Giovenale Triptych, completed a few years before in1422. The scheme is also similar to the cartoon of the Assumption by Lorenzo Ghiberti for the windows in the façade of Florence Cathedral (c. 1405). The Fiesole Altarpiece is an important work of the early Renaissance as it is one of the earliest polyptychs to represent figures that occupy the same painted surface, without being divided into different compartments. It was originally given a predella (a ornately painted platform, which serves as a base), which is now held in London’s National Gallery. The predella depicts the Adoration of Saints, Prophets and Members of the Dominican Order. The side pillars were decorated with ten small panels, detailing saints and the blessed — four of which have survived: two at the Musée Condé of Chantilly and two in private collections.

Central panel: Virgin and Child Enthroned with Eight Angels

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Left section: Saint Thomas Aquinas and Saint Barnabus

Right section: Saint Dominic and Saint Peter the Martyr

The Predella of the altarpiece

Central section of the predella

Convent of San Domenico, Fiesole

A source of inspiration to Angelico’s ‘Fiesole Altarpiece’: ‘San Giovenale Triptych’ by Masaccio, housed in the Masaccio Museum of Sacred Art at Cascia di Reggello, Florence, 1422. The triptych is the first work attributed to Masaccio and the earliest known painting to employ a geometric Renaissance perspective.

Masaccio was the first great Italian painter of the Quattrocento period, who, according to Vasari, was the best painter of his generation due to his skill at imitating nature, recreating lifelike figures and movements, as well as for his convincing sense of three-dimensionality. In spite of his early death at the age of twenty-six, Masaccio’s influence on the course of Western art was profound.

Posthumous portrait of Fra Angelico by Luca Signorelli —detail of ‘Deeds of the Antichrist’ fresco, Orvieto Cathedral, 1501

The Last Judgment (c. 1425)

Another painting that reveals the influence of Masaccio is The Last Judgment, completed around the same time as the previous plate. It features numerous human figures receding toward the background, suggesting a sense of space. Completed as tempera on panel, it was commissioned by the Camaldolese Order for the newly elected abbot, the humanist scholar Ambrogio Traversari. The panel was originally positioned in the church of Santa Maria degli Angeli and has since been moved to the museum of San Marco.

As with the majority of Fra Angelico’s work, the iconography is standard for the treatment of this popular subject matter. In the top centre of the panel, Christ sits in Judgment on a white throne, surrounded by angels, Mary, John and numerous saints. Sitting on a glowing bank of clouds, Christ is presented as the judge of the living and dead, his left hand pointing down to Hell, while his right gestures up to Heaven. Interestingly, the celestial half of the panel is not afforded the same attention to spatial depth as seen in the terrestrial section below. The slight angling of the two banks of saints fails to achieve the same illusion of depth. Perhaps the artist wished to imply that the world of the profane was entirely separate from the realm of the divine.

To the right there is a traditional representation of Paradise, with angels leading the saved through a beautiful garden into a resplendent city. Golden rays of light stream through the open gates of Heaven, illuminating the white gowns of the souls seeking entry. In the middle of the panel, there are several broken tombs of the dead, who have arisen to be finally judged. The large receding rectangle of empty tombs creates depth, stretching far back, while an empty sarcophagus in the immediate foreground subtly reduces the emphasis on the pictorial axis.

On Christ’s left, hideous demons with pitchforks drive the damned into Hell, where the wicked are tormented and endure a terrifying ordeal. The grisly torments that await them are depicted within its flaming circles, where naked forms, some strangled with snakes, suffer for their past sins. At the very bottom of the panel, the dark monster-like form of Satan chews on three of the damned souls, while grasping two others. His teeth, represented as an uninterrupted line of white forms, smile threateningly at the viewer. In the dynamic modelling of the damned figures, Angelico was likely inspired by Lornezo Ghiberti’s Christ Driving the Money Lenders from the Temple, which was depicted on the first bronze door of the Baptistery in Florence a few years before.

The sheer scale of Angelico’s The Last Judgment, which measures 105 x 210 cm and features no less than 270 figures, has won the panel great renown over the centuries. It is also celebrated for the nuanced evocation of the figures’ emotions, its descending perspective techniques and the overall mastery of narrative and space that are unprecedented in the artist’s smaller works.

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Detail: the broken tombs

A likely source of influence in depicting the damned: Ghiberti’s ‘Christ Driving the Money Lenders from the Temple’, 1422

Santa Maria degli Angeli (Saint Mary of the Angels) is the former church of a now-defunct monastery of that name in Florence, where Angelico’s ‘The Last Judgment’ was originally installed.

The façade of the church of San Marco

Cloister in the convent of San Marco

Annalena Altarpiece (c. 1430)

Occasionally, Angelico resorted to medieval techniques in his work, such as the use of gold background, likely in accordance to the taste of the patron commissioning the painting. Nevertheless, his figures always appear to emerge distinctly from the panels, in the new Renaissance manner, stressing an increasingly assured and harmonious pictorial idiom. A major work of his early period is the Annalena Altarpiece, regarded by some as the first sacra conversazione (sacred conversation), a genre that depicts the Virgin and Child amidst a group of saints and angels in a relatively informal grouping, as opposed to the more rigid and hierarchical compositions of earlier periods. The genre also introduced the convention of adding donor portraits, usually kneeling, as their patron saint presents them to the Virgin. Another key feature of the subject is the rendering of the form of the Virgin in the same size as the saints and other figures, giving the scene a more naturalistic appearance.

The altarpiece derived its current name from its original location, the Convento di San Vincenzo d’Annalena, founded by Annalena Malatesta, daughter of Countess Orsini and Galeotto Malatesta, Lord of Rimini. Unlike the later San Marco Altarpiece, there are no angels and the Virgin and Child are only represented in the company of Saint Peter Martyr, Saint Cosmas, Saint Damian, John the Evangelist, Saint Lawrence and Saint Francis. The represented saints are the patron saints of the male members of the Medici dynasty, and the predella produced by Zanobi Strozzi contains scenes from the life of Saint Cosmas and Saint Damian. Unlike typical works of the Gothic age, the realistic figures have left their individual panels, never to return, though there is still a hint of the original conception in the blank arches of the wall at the back of the composition.

The high wall and its pink cornice run the full width of the panel, providing an august, yet simple border to the sacred scene, enhancing the impression of actors on a stage. There is no carpet as in the San Marco Altarpiece and the foreground is much shallower. The handling of spatial depth is similar, largely relying on the receding rectangles of the steps to the throne and its cornice. There are fewer references to the natural world, which is only represented by glimpses of grass and flowers in the immediate foreground. Although there are impressive innovations in the Annalena Altarpiece, it is the work of a young artist still hampered by past conventions.

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The Predella scenes

Another early Sacra conversazione: Barbadori Altarpiece by Filippo Lippi, Louvre, 1437

Annunciation (1433)

In the early 1430’s, Angelico painted an altarpiece that what would be later recognised as one of the most inspired works of the Florentine Renaissance. The Annunciation, a popular subject of Christian iconography, is described in the Gospels and in great detail in Jacobus de Voragine’s The Golden Legend, a seminal reference work for painters. It involves the scene when the archangel Gabriel announces to Mary that she will become the mother of Christ. In Angelico’s composition he also includes in the left background a reference to the Original Sin, which Jesus will redeem, illustrating the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve being driven out by the archangel Jophiel. In the principal section of the painting, the radiant messenger Gabriel and the pure maiden Mary are represented in the space of a Renaissance-style portico. The altarpiece also includes a narrow predella beneath, divided into stories from the Life of the Virgin, naturalistically portrayed — most notably the Visitation