The Project Gutenberg EBook of Fra Angelico, by J. B. Supino

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Title: Fra Angelico

Author: J. B. Supino

Translator: Leader Scott

Release Date: May 21, 2007 [EBook #21561]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FRA ANGELICO ***

Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Turgut Dincer and the Online
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FRA ANGELICO

BY

J. B. SUPINO

TRANSLATED

BY

LEADER SCOTT.

FLORENCE

ALINARI BROTHERS, PUBLISHERS.

1902.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Printed by Barbera--Alfani and Venturi, proprietors
Florence.

* * * * *

[Illustration: The Annunciation. (Convent of San Marco, Florence)]

INDEX.

Beato Angelico--Proem Page 5

I.--Fra Angelico at Cortona and Perugia (1409-1418) 29

II.--Fra Angelico at Fiesole (1418-1436) 55

III.--Fra Angelico at Florence (1436-1445) 93

San Marco 95

In the Gallery of Ancient and Modern Art 131

IV.--Fra Angelico at Rome and Orvieto (1445-1455) 155

Index to the Illustrations 179

[Illustration]

[Illustration: Angels of the "Last Judgement."]

Tradition shows us Fra Giovanni Angelico absorbed in his work, and
either caressing with his brush one of those graceful angelic figures
which have made him immortal, or reverently outlining the sweet image
of the Virgin before which he himself would kneel in adoration. Legend
pictures him devoutly prostrate in prayer before commencing work, that
his soul might be purified, and fitted to understand and render the
divine subject; and again in oration after leaving his easel, to thank
heaven for having given him power to make his holy visions visible to
other eyes.

But has tradition any foundation in fact? Why not? Through his
numberless works we may easily divine the soul of the artist, and can
well understand, how the calm and serene atmosphere of the monastic
cell, the church