Fra Filippo Lippi
Renaissance Man by Nicholas Dessanti
Biographical Details
- Born in 1406 in Florence, Italy. He died October 9, 1469 at the age of 60.
- Fra Filippo Lippi spent most of his time in Italy, but more specifically in Spoleto being commissioned to paint.
- Most of his education and training came from Lippi's dad Tommaso.
- Both of his parents died when he was still a child so his aunt took care of him. His life/lifestyle consisted of painting and iconography. He got married at 20 years old in 1421 at the S. Maria del Carmine monastery. Later, the church recognized him in there documents as a painter.
- Lippi mostly created paintings, but later in this life he started creating iconography. A couple of works he created was the Madonna with Two Angels and Adoration of the Magi.
- Lippi's patron Cosimo de' Medic helps and shelters him at his palace, hoping for him to finish his commissions.
Works Cited
Self Portrait of Fra Filippo Lippi
This is a self portrait as a member of the crowd in "The Dispute with Simon Magus" in the Brancacci Chapel in Florence, where he completed the frescos left unfinished by Masaccio's early death. In Florence his work can also be seen in the Strozzi Chapel in Santa Maria Novella.
Tarquinia Madonna
The Madonna and Child Enthroned is a painting by the Italian Renaissance painter Fra Filippo Lippi. It is housed in the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica of Palazzo Barberini, Rome.
Madonna and Child with St Fredianus and St Augustine
The earliest of Lippi's altarpieces, the Barbadori Altarpiece, named for the family who commissioned it (for the Barbadori Chapel in Santo Spirito, Florence), demonstrates aspects of his art that can be regarded as characteristic.
Works Cited For Pictures
Madonna and Child with St Fredianus and St Augustine. N.d. LIPPI, Fra Filippo. Web Gallery of Art. Web. 30 Jan. 2013.
<http://www.wga.hu/html_m/l/lippi/filippo/1430/8barbad.html>.
Tarquinia Madonna. N.d. Madonna with Child (Tarquinia Madonna). Paint_Web. Web. 30 Jan. 2013. <http://www.chinaoilpaintinggallery.com/f-fra-filippo-lippi-c-58_72_682/madonna-with-child-tarquinia-madonna-p-19337>.
His Work
Tarquinia Madonna
- After returning to Florence, he painted Tarquinia Madonna in 1437. He was probably commissioned to paint by the archbishop of Florence.
- In this piece there were several new concepts/techniques used in this work. It includes a new compositional pattern, strong and interesting perspective, and the uncommon portrayal of baby Christ.
- I find this work very interesting especially comparing it to his other works. He moves the people closer to the spectator, also the viewpoint is lower than most of his works.
- Fra Filippo Lippi's piece of work exemplifies the Renaissance "ism" secularism. In spite of his secular actions, Filippo's late works are filled with many examples of religious feeling.