Fra Angelico

Mason, JamesProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.2

Word count: 51K words
Chapters: 6

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Fra Angelico by James MasonAuthor: Mason, James,Language: English, Class: ND: Fine Arts: Painting, Release Date: Jan 13, 2013

Editor's review

This is an English-language art e-book from Project Gutenberg focusing on Fra Angelico, an early Renaissance painter. As public-domain art history writing, its value lies not in cutting-edge research but in its relatively plain biographical and works-based approach, which places this painter known for religious subjects back into the context of his era and monastic life. Readers can use it to understand his choice of subjects, compositional interests, and color sensibility, and to treat it as a supplementary text for further viewing of the original works. The e-book is easy to search and carry, making it suitable for reference while visiting art museums, practicing copying, or taking introductory notes on Western art history. Note that this is an old English public-domain work whose narrative perspective and historical details may carry the limitations of its time; it should not be used as the sole scholarly basis and is best read alongside newer art history works or exhibition catalogues.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Introductory readers interested in early Renaissance painting
Self-learners who need English-language art history reading material
Visitors preparing to see related museum exhibitions
Enthusiasts who want to understand the background of religious painting

Not a good fit for

Professional researchers who need the latest scholarly conclusions
Readers who are not used to reading original English texts
Readers who expect high-resolution plates and details of the paintings

Reading tips

Read it through once, then read it alongside images of Angelico's works available online.
Take notes on people and works chapter by chapter for later verification.
Read the relevant chapters before visiting related exhibitions as background preparation.
When encountering questionable historical facts, cross-check with newer art history works.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book in Chinese or English?

Sources indicate that the book is in English: it is a public-domain e-book released by Project Gutenberg, with the main text in English. Chinese readers will need some English reading ability or a translation tool for assistance.

Does the book contain color plates of paintings?

The sources only state that it is a public-domain e-book in the art and painting category and do not mention illustrations. Early electronic texts of this kind are usually text-centered; readers are advised to seek out reproductions of the paintings separately for a more direct visual reference.

Is it suitable as a source to cite in an art history paper?

It is not recommended as a sole basis for academic citation. It is an early public-domain work whose narrative and facts may reflect the limitations of its time; it is better suited to introductory reading or background understanding, while formal research should consult more recent scholarly monographs and exhibition catalogues.

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About the author

Mason, James Author

James Mason is an author of art books about whom relatively little biographical information is publicly available; his nationality, dates of birth and death, and educational background are not clearly documented. Judging from the two works held in the collection, Fra Angelico and Bernardino Luini, his writing focuses on the Italian Renaissance and early painting, with particular attention to the Italian painters Fra Angelico and Bernardino Luini. Both works take the form of monographic studies and belong to the genre of accessible art history and painter studies, indicating a sustained interest in the tradition of Renaissance painting. Owing to the limited available material, his academic identity, the overall characteristics of his writing style, and the reach and influence of his works cannot yet be confirmed. Readers may regard his books as introductory references for understanding these painters and their historical context, and further details about his life and research may be added should more information become available.