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Volterra

(Encyclopedia)Volterra, town (1991 pop. 12,879), Tuscany, central Italy. A powerful Etruscan town, it later (12th–13th cent.) was a free commune and passed to Florence in the 14th cent. Of note are well-preserved...

grisaille

(Encyclopedia)grisaille grĭzīˈ, –zālˈ, Fr. grēzäˈyə [key], a monochrome painting and drawing technique executed in tones of gray. Such works were often produced in the Renaissance to simulate sculpture, ...

Marianus Scotus, 1028–c.1082, Irish monk and chronicler

(Encyclopedia)Marianus Scotus mărēāˈnəs skōˈtəs [key], 1028–c.1082, Irish monk and chronicler, whose Gaelic name was Mael-brigte. He left Ireland in 1056 and lived on the Continent until his death. His ch...

Varchi, Benedetto

(Encyclopedia)Varchi, Benedetto bānādĕtˈtō värˈkē [key], 1502?–1565, Italian poet and historian. A protégé of Filippo Strozzi and Cosimo de' Medici, he was commissioned to write the history of Florence....

Benedetto da Majano

(Encyclopedia)Benedetto da Majano bānādĕtˈtō dä mäyäˈnō [key], 1442–97. Italian sculptor and architect of the Florentine school. His pulpits, altarpieces, and other church furniture are beautifully exec...

Boldini, Giovanni

(Encyclopedia)Boldini, Giovanni jōvänˈnē bōldēˈnē [key], 1842–1931, Italian portrait painter. Having worked in Florence and London, he reached his peak of creativity and success in Paris, painting romanti...

Pollaiuolo

(Encyclopedia)Pollaiuolo pōl-läyo͞o-ôˈlō [key], family of Florentine artists. Jacopo Pollaiuolo was a noted 15th-century goldsmith. His son and pupil Antonio Pollaiuolo, 1429?–1498, goldsmith, sculptor, pai...

Niccoli, Niccolò de'

(Encyclopedia)Niccoli, Niccolò de' nēk-kōlôˈ dā nēkˈkōlē [key], 1363–1437, Italian humanist. One of the distinguished Florentine scholars in Cosimo de' Medici's circle, he wrote little but is remembered...

Marenzio, Luca

(Encyclopedia)Marenzio, Luca lo͞oˈkä märĕnˈtsēō [key], 1553–1599, Italian composer, in whose works the Renaissance madrigal reached its peak of development. He served the Gonzaga family in Mantua, the Med...

Strange, Sir Robert

(Encyclopedia)Strange, Sir Robert, 1721–92, English engraver. The outstanding historical engraver of his day, he became a member of the academies of Rome, Florence, Bologna, and France and was the only English en...