The Burke Collection of Italian Manuscript Paintings

Les Enluminures

Filled with high quality paintings by notable Renaissance artists, the outstanding Burke Collection of Italian miniatures is the subject of this podcast. Sandra Hindman sits down to discuss her work on the newly published Burke Collection catalogue with her co-editor Federica Toniolo and with Gaudenz Freuler. Federica Toniolo is Professor of the history of illuminated manuscripts and medieval art at the University of Padua and co-author of the recent catalogue of the Fondazione Giorgio Cini in Venice, among many other important publications. Gaudenz Freuler is Professor Emerita at the University of Zurich and is a world-renowned expert on Italian miniature painting from the twelfth to sixteenth century. The Burke Collection is on deposit in the Special Collections and University Archives of the Stanford Libraries in California.

Did manuscript illuminators ever produce monumental paintings? What is the relationship between the history of monumental painting and illumination? What makes printed collection catalogues special, as opposed to digitized collections? Through a glimpse at highlights from the Burke Collection, you can learn more about the versatile artists of the Renaissance many of whom skillfully worked in both media – hence the title “The Burke Collection of Italian Manuscript Paintings.” Our host and her guests share their knowledge, covering artists such as Fra Angelico, Zanobi Strozzi, Battista di Biagio Sanguigni, Cimabue, Tommaso da Modena, and Lorenzo Monaco. They discuss the literature, paleography, music, and context of the paintings in the Burke Collection, with emphasis on reconstructing illuminations and panel paintings to contribute a more complete image of the artistic culture of late Gothic and Renaissance Italy.

Order your copy of The Burke Collection of Italian Manuscript Paintings from Paul Holberton Publishing.