Choirs of Angels: Painting in Italian Choir Books, 1300-1500This delightful book describes and illustrates the Metropolitan Museum's collection of nearly 40 illuminations from Italian choral manuscripts. Representing the work of Gothic and Renaissance masters both celebrated and anonymous, these precious paintings in miniature---with their compelling narrative, brilliant color, and shining gold---bear witness to exceptional aesthetic accomplishment. The choir books they illuminate are a rich source of information about the development of chant, whose unexpected transcendent tonalities have abiding appeal today. They also serve as primary sources for the study of the lives of religious communities and of the philosophy and faith that infused medieval Europe, offering a glimpse of Italy at the dawn of the Renaissance. |
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Common terms and phrases
15th century angels antiphon antiphonary antiphonary created artist Attributed Augustinian Benedictine Bologna Brescia Camaldolese celebrated chant choir books choral manuscripts Christian church Cosmè Tura cuttings David in Prayer Dominican Don Silvestro Ferrara Florence Florentine Franciscan Freuler Gift of Louis Girolamo dai Libri gold gradual half of 15th hymns illumination Imola Initial D ink on parchment introit Italian Jesus Jewish Kanter Lactantius laudario Leaf letter Library Lorenzo Monaco Lorillard Lucca Maccabees Maria degli Angeli Maria in Organo Mariano del Buono Martyrdom of Saint Master McKinnon medieval Metropolitan Museum Metropolitan's collection miniature monastery of Santa monastic Museum of Art musical notation Nerius Niccolò Olivetan Pacino painted painter Perugia Pietro da Cemmo politan Museum Pope psalms psalter Robert Lehman Rogers Fund Saint Benedict Saint Dominic Saint John Saint John Gualbert Santa Maria scene second half Siena Cathedral Sozzo sung Tacconi Tempera and ink tion Venice Verona Virgin Zanobi Strozzi