Painter's Daughter: The Story of Sandro Botticelli and Alessandra Lippi
- Book Review,
by Carolyn Street LaFond
From Booklist
LaFond's novel re-creates the life story of Alessandra Lippi, daughter of the famous Italian renaissance painter Fra Lippo Lippi and goddaughter of Sandro Botticelli. Through Alessandra's eyes, LaFond gives us a fascinating glimpse into the world of art during one of Europe's most creative periods and the political and religious upheavals that shaped the art of this time. Alessandra, who works as one of Botticelli's models, meets Fra Diamante, Michelangelo, Lorenzo Medici, Amerigo Vespucci, and even the fanatic monk Savanarola, whose "bonfires of the vanities" were responsible for the destruction of countless works of art. LaFond's descriptions of Florence and Prato are captivating, and her detailed portrait of Renaissance Italy is delightful. The only jarring notes are the brief historical discussions that interrupt the narrative and seldom add to the story; readers would have been better served if they'd been collected into an afterword. LaFond's novel is, however, ideal for students of the Renaissance and anyone who enjoys historical fiction that entertains as well as educates. Bonnie Johnston
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Booklist
"LaFond gives us a fascinating glimpse into the world of art during one of Europe's most creative periods."
Book Description
THE PAINTER'S DAUGHTER brings to life the artistic and political turmoil of fifteenth-century Florence through the stories of Alessandra Lippi, who follows Botticelli's career and reveals the mystery and controversy surrounding the the celebrated "Birth of Venus."
About the Author
Carolyn Street LaFond received her bachelor and master's degrees from the University of Washington, Seattle. She now writes short fiction and teaches Italian and French in Olympia, Washington, where she lives with her family. THE PAINTER'S DAUGHTER is her first novel.
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