Who is the intriguing man wearing a religious habit and a gold hoop earring in this portrait by Italian Baroque master Il Guercino? And why does he point to a stack of drawings? This fascinating book investigates The Ringling’s portrait of Fra Bonaventura Bisi, a Franciscan Minor Conventual friar whose work as an art dealer, printmaker, and celebrated painter of miniatures made him a major figure in the artistic culture of 17th-century Bologna. Beautifully illustrated, this volume offers new scholarship on both Guercino’s portrait and Fra Bisi’s life, including his extraordinary miniatures, his dogged pursuit of artworks for high-ranking collectors, his passionate efforts to promote the appreciation and collecting of drawings, and - not least - his incongruous gold hoop earring.
Published to accompany an important exhibition of the same name at The Ringling (14 October 2023-07 January 2024), this book, based on years of research, provides a captivating glimpse into art making and art collecting in Baroque Italy.
By:
David M. Stone Contributions by:
Sarah Cartwright Imprint: Scala Arts & Heritage Publishers Ltd Country of Publication: United Kingdom Dimensions:
Height: 279mm,
Width: 241mm,
Spine: 13mm
Weight: 870g ISBN:9781785514159 ISBN 10: 1785514156 Pages: 144 Publication Date:04 October 2023 Audience:
General/trade
,
ELT Advanced
Format:Paperback Publisher's Status: Active
David M. Stone is Professor Emeritus at the University of Delaware and a specialist in 17th-century Italian art. Sarah Cartwright is Ulla R. Searing Curator of Collections at The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art.