Fra Angelico Biography for Kids
Ciao! I am Fra Angelico, an Italian Renaissance artist who lived from 1400 to 1455.
My name may be a bit confusing – I was named Guido by my parents, but then I became a Catholic monk, or friar, and changed my name to Giovanni, which is Italian for John. So I am Fra Giovanni or Brother John. And then some began to call me angelic, so now I am known as the angelic friar or Fra Angelico. You can call me Fra Angelico.
Let me tell you about my work as an artist. I lived in the 1400s, and at first I was an illuminator, meaning I added fancy gold letters and illustrations or pictures to manuscripts of the Bible. This gave me good practice in using gold leaf, which I later also used in my paintings.
Then when I moved to the Friary of San Marcos in Florence…
…I had the opportunity to decorate the walls of each monk’s cell with my paintings, such as this painting of the angel Gabriel visiting Mary to tell her she would be the mother of Jesus.
I painted frescoes. Frescoes are when you paint on plaster that is still wet. I always painted scenes from the Bible or of saints.
Others say that the pictures in the monastery cells at San Marco show a humility and devotion to God. And then I had the honor of decorating a chapel at the Vatican in Rome was an honor.
But it is more important to me to honor and be with Christ, for he who illustrates the acts of Christ should be with Christ. Indeed,
“When singing my praise, don’t liken my talents to those of Apelles.
Say, rather, that, in the name of Christ, I gave all I had to the poor.
The deeds that count on Earth are not the ones that count in Heaven.
I, Giovanni, am the flower of Tuscany.”
Here’s what you should remember about me.
- My name is Fra Angelico and I lived from 1400 to 1455.
- I am an Italian painter of the Early Renaissance and a friar.
- I painted frescoes and religious paintings.
- I used bright colors and gold leaf.
Investigate the life and art works of Fra Angelico in this artist unit study!
Watch the video about me too!
Resources:
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