The Franciscans and Art Patronage in Late Medieval Italy

In this book, Louise Bourdua examines how Franciscan church decoration developed between 1250 and 1400.

Louise Bourdua (Author)

9780521281287, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 28 March 2011

256 pages, 70 b/w illus.
25.5 x 17.9 x 1.3 cm, 0.61 kg

'This pioneering study addresses a burgeoning area of art-historical enquiry with some extremely profitable results.' Burlington Magazine

In this book, Louise Bourdua examines how Franciscan church decoration developed between 1250 and 1400. Focusing on three important churches - San Fermo Maggiore, Verona, San Lorenzo, Vicenza and Sant'Antonio, Padua - she argues that local Franciscan friars were more interested in their own conception of how artistic programs should work than merely following models for decoration issued from the mother church at Assisi. In addition, lay patrons also had considerable input into the decoration programs. These case studies serve as a multiform model of patronage, which is tested against other commissions of the Trecento.

1. The Franciscans, poverty, property and benefaction
2. San Fermo Maggiore, Verona: a northern response to Assisi?
3. San Lorenzo in Vicenza: the friars, the donor, the procurators and the artist
4. Sant'Antonio in Padua.

Subject Areas: Early modern history: c 1450/1500 to c 1700 [HBLH], European history [HBJD], History of art: Byzantine & Medieval art c 500 CE to c 1400 [ACK]