The painters of Florence from the thirteenth to the sixteenth century . a family of artists,and was, like Giotto himself, architect, sculptor andpainter. Like Giotto, he was a man of genial temperand pleasant manner, who made himself beloved by like Giotto, too, he wrote poetry, and a book ofhis sonnets is preserved in the Magliabecchian Library,while a later poet, Burchiello, mentions Orcagnaamong the poets who in past days have written oflove. After learning the elements of painting from hiselder brother Nardo, Orcagna studied sculpture underAndrea Pisano. But he matriculated in the
The painters of Florence from the thirteenth to the sixteenth century . a family of artists,and was, like Giotto himself, architect, sculptor andpainter. Like Giotto, he was a man of genial temperand pleasant manner, who made himself beloved by like Giotto, too, he wrote poetry, and a book ofhis sonnets is preserved in the Magliabecchian Library,while a later poet, Burchiello, mentions Orcagnaamong the poets who in past days have written oflove. After learning the elements of painting from hiselder brother Nardo, Orcagna studied sculpture underAndrea Pisano. But he matriculated in the PaintersGuild in 1343, and was only admitted to the art ofwood and stone carvers nine years later. By thistime he was already recognised as the best Florentinepainter who had arisen since the death of Giotto, andas such was employed on extensive works in SantaMaria Novella. The frescoes of the life of the Virgin,with which he decorated the choir, were, unfortun-ately, ruined by a violent storm in 1358, and finallypainted over by Ghirlandajo, who, according to Vasari,. MATimVNA RV AWnRTT A mji-Ar;TsT a /c MARIA novella). [To/ace page 62 1430] ORCAGNAS FRESCOES 63 repeated Orcagnas composition in many finishing the choir, Andrea was employed toexecute three large frescoes in the Strozzi these, the Inferno, an exact representation of theMalebolge of Dante, whose poem Andrea studiedattentively, has been entirely repainted, while theParadise and Last Judgment have been muchdamaged by damp and restoration. Enough remains,however, to give us a high idea of Orcagnas forms are better drawn, there is a distinct advancein structural accuracy in foreshortening and modelling,together with more beauty of feature than is foundin the work of other Giotteschi masters. The bestqualities of contemporary Sienese and Florentine artare here combined, while there is a grandeur andsolemnity about the whole that recalls Giottos con-ceptions. The two angels playing t
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjectpainter, bookyear1901
