Biography Filippo Lippi

devotional image of madonna , child before golden curtain workshop of filippo lippi. walters art museum.



adoration in forest



madonna , child (1440–1445), tempera on panel. national gallery of art, washington, d.c.

in 1432 filippo lippi quit monastery, although not released vows. in letter dated 1439 describes himself poorest friar of florence, charged maintenance of 6 marriageable nieces.

according vasari, lippi went on visit ancona , naples, captured barbary pirates , kept slave. skill in portrait-sketching helped release him. louis gillet, writing catholic encyclopedia, considers account assuredly nothing romance .

with lippi s return florence in 1432, paintings had become popular, warranting support of medici family, commissioned annunciation , 7 saints. cosimo de medici had lock him in order compel him work, , painter escaped rope made of sheets. escapades threw him financial difficulties did not hesitate extricate himself forgery. life included many similar tales of lawsuits, complaints, broken promises , scandal.

in 1441 lippi painted altarpiece nuns of s. ambrogio prominent attraction in academy of florence, , celebrated in browning s well-known poem fra lippo lippi. represents coronation of virgin among angels , saints, including many bernardine monks. 1 of these, placed right, half-length figure thought self-portrait of lippo, pointed out inscription perfecit opus upon angel s scroll; later believed instead portrait of benefactor commissioned painting.

in 1452 lippi appointed chaplain nuns @ monastery of st. mary magdalene in florence.

portrait of man , woman @ casement (c. 1440). metropolitan museum of art, new york city.

in june 1456 fra filippo recorded living in prato (near florence) paint frescoes in choir of cathedral. in 1458, while engaged in work, set painting picture monastery chapel of s. margherita in city, met lucrezia buti, beautiful novice of order , daughter of florentine named francesco buti. lippi asked might permitted sit figure of madonna (or perhaps s. margherita). under pretext, lippi engaged in sexual relations her, abducted own house, , kept there despite nuns efforts reclaim her. relationship resulted in son, filippino lippi, became famous painter following father.

in 1457 appointed commendatory rector (rettore commendatario) of s. quirico in legania, institutions made considerable profits. despite these profits, lippi struggled escape poverty throughout life.

the close of lippi s life spent @ spoleto, had been commissioned paint scenes life of virgin apse of cathedral. in semidome of apse christ crowning madonna, angels, sibyls , prophets. series, not wholly equal 1 @ prato, completed 1 of assistants, fellow carmelite, fra diamante, after lippi s death. lippi died in spoleto, on or 8 october 1469. mode of death matter of dispute. has been said pope granted lippi dispensation marrying lucrezia, before permission arrived, lippi had been poisoned indignant relatives of either lucrezia herself or lady had replaced in inconstant painter s affections.