Life of the Virgin (Filippo Lippi)

Cycle of frescos by Filippo Lippi

Scenes from the Life of the Virgin Mary (Italian - Le Storie della Vergine) is a cycle of frescos by Filippo Lippi in Spoleto Cathedral.

History

The cycle was commissioned in 1466, when Lippi had completed his Stories of Saint Stephen and Saint John the Baptist at Prato Cathedral, and was abruptly terminated by Lippi's death in 1469, caused by poison according to Vasari's Lives of the Artists. His studio assistants completed the work in around three months. Lippi was buried in Spoleto Cathedral despite Lorenzo the Magnificent's request for the remains to be returned to Florence - Spoleto replied that unlike Florence their great new cathedral had no illustrious men buried in it.

Scenes

From left to right the cycle shows:

Annunciation
Dormition (centre, out of chronological sequence, probably at the commissioner's request due to the cathedral's dedication to the Assumption)
Nativity
Coronation of the Virgin (high on the half-domed apse)

Gallery

Annunciation
Dormition
Nativity
Coronation

References

(in Italian) Maria Pia Mannini, Marco Fagioli. Filippo Lippi. Catalogo completo. Firenze 1997. ISBN 88-8030-016-4

v t e Filippo Lippi
Paintings	Pietà (Florence; c. 1430–1435) Enthroned Madonna and Child (c. 1437) Barbadori Altarpiece (1438) Pietà (Milan; 1437–1439) Penitent Saint Jerome with a Young Monk (c. 1439) Madonna and Child with Angels and Saints (c. 1440) Martelli Annunciation (c. 1440) Marsuppini Coronation (after 1444) Annunciation with Two Kneeling Donors (1440–1445) Novitiate Altarpiece (c. 1440–1445) Coronation of the Virgin (1441–1447) Annunciation (Munich; c. 1443–1450) Annunciation (Rome; c. 1445–1450) Saint Anthony Abbot and Michael the Archangel (c. 1445–1450) Alessandri Altarpiece (c. 1440–1453) Bartolini Tondo (1452–1453) Madonna del Ceppo (c. 1452–1453) Madonna and Child (Parma; c. 1450–1455) Annunciation (London; c. 1449–1459) Seven Saints (c. 1449–1459) Mystical Nativity (c. 1459) Adoration of the Magi (c. 1440–1460; with Fra Angelico) Funeral of Saint Jerome (1452–1460) Stories of Saint Stephen and Saint John the Baptist (1452–1465) Adoration of the Christ Child (c. 1463) Madonna and Child (Florence; c. 1450–1465) Adoration of the Christ Child (Prato; c. 1455–1466) Madonna of Palazzo Medici-Riccardi (c. 1466–1469) Life of the Virgin (1466–1469) Triptych of the Madonna of Humility with Saints (c. 1470)
Related	Fra Angelico Filippino Lippi (son)

Filippo Lippi

Paintings

Pietà (Florence; c. 1430–1435)
Enthroned Madonna and Child (c. 1437)
Barbadori Altarpiece (1438)
Pietà (Milan; 1437–1439)
Penitent Saint Jerome with a Young Monk (c. 1439)
Madonna and Child with Angels and Saints (c. 1440)
Martelli Annunciation (c. 1440)
Marsuppini Coronation (after 1444)
Annunciation with Two Kneeling Donors (1440–1445)
Novitiate Altarpiece (c. 1440–1445)
Coronation of the Virgin (1441–1447)
Annunciation (Munich; c. 1443–1450)
Annunciation (Rome; c. 1445–1450)
Saint Anthony Abbot and Michael the Archangel (c. 1445–1450)
Alessandri Altarpiece (c. 1440–1453)
Bartolini Tondo (1452–1453)
Madonna del Ceppo (c. 1452–1453)
Madonna and Child (Parma; c. 1450–1455)
Annunciation (London; c. 1449–1459)
Seven Saints (c. 1449–1459)
Mystical Nativity (c. 1459)
Adoration of the Magi (c. 1440–1460; with Fra Angelico)
Funeral of Saint Jerome (1452–1460)
Stories of Saint Stephen and Saint John the Baptist (1452–1465)
Adoration of the Christ Child (c. 1463)
Madonna and Child (Florence; c. 1450–1465)
Adoration of the Christ Child (Prato; c. 1455–1466)
Madonna of Palazzo Medici-Riccardi (c. 1466–1469)
Life of the Virgin (1466–1469)
Triptych of the Madonna of Humility with Saints (c. 1470)

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