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Italian Painting at the Yale University Art Gallery

by Laurence Kanter and Pia Palladino

Fondo Oro:

This magisterial volume by Laurence Kanter and Pia Palladino is not merely a catalogue; it is a vital bridge to understanding the spiritual and technical genesis of the Western tradition. For those of us devoted to the "Fondo Oro"—the luminous gold-ground masterpieces of the thirteenth to fifteenth centuries—this work is indispensable. The Yale collection, anchored by the visionary acquisitions of James Jackson Jarves, represents one of the most significant repositories of early Italian art outside of Europe. What makes this publication essential for our readers is its rigorous commitment to connoisseurship. Beyond the exquisite reproductions of masters like the Lorenzetti brothers, Taddeo Gaddi, and Lorenzo Monaco, the authors provide exhaustive technical notes and conservation histories. This level of detail allows us to peer beneath the surface of the tempera and gold leaf, revealing the very soul of the Florentine, Sienese, and Venetian schools. It is a work that honors the legacy of these masters with the precision and passion they deserve.

Yale University Press, 2025, 433 pages, Hardcover, ISBN: 9780300284744

A comprehensive presentation of the Yale University Art Gallery’s collection of Italian paintings from the thirteenth to the fifteenth century

The collection of Italian paintings at the Yale University Art Gallery is one of the largest and richest in the world. The first of four volumes on the collection, this sumptuously illustrated book features over seventy-five works dating from 1230 to 1420 by artists such as Taddeo Gaddi, Andrea di Cione (better known as Orcagna), Lippo Memmi, Pietro and Ambrogio Lorenzetti, and Lorenzo Monaco. In addition to discussions of each painting’s meaning, function, and significance, entries provide published references, provenance, full technical notes, and detailed conservation histories. An introduction by Laurence Kanter chronicles the history of the collection, from the James Jackson Jarves Collection that was assembled in the nineteenth century—the earliest formed collection of Italian paintings in any American museum—to more recent gifts by Louis and Hannah Rabinowitz and Richard Feigen. While many of the works are from Florence and Siena, the volume also includes examples from Bologna, Rimini, Venice, and more. Through its wide-ranging holdings, the Gallery’s collection provides a remarkable sense of the diverse visual culture of the time.

CONTENTS

Director's Foreword

Acknowledgments

Contributors and Note to the Reader

Introduction

CATALOGUE

The Florentine School

The Sienese School

Other Schools

Bibliography

Index

Photography Credits