Cennino Cennini facts for kids
Cennino d'Andrea Cennini (born around 1360 – died before 1427) was an Italian painter. He was inspired by the famous artist Giotto. Cennini learned his skills from Agnolo Gaddi in Florence. Agnolo Gaddi's father, Taddeo Gaddi, was a student of Giotto.
Cennini was born in a town called Colle di Val d'Elsa in Tuscany, Italy. After finishing his art training in Florence, he worked for a time in Padua. He then likely returned to his hometown.
Contents
The Artist's Handbook
Cennini is best known for writing an important book called Il libro dell'arte. This book, written around the year 1400, is like a "how-to" guide for painters. It teaches about art during the late Middle Ages and early Renaissance.
What the Book Teaches
The book shares many secrets and tips for artists. It explains how to make and use pigments (colors) and different types of brushes. It also covers drawing, painting on wooden panels, and the art of fresco (painting on wet plaster). Cennini's book even talks about painting on fabrics and casting.
Cennini also briefly mentions oil painting. This was important because it helped correct a misunderstanding. Some people thought oil painting was invented much later by Jan van Eyck. However, Cennini's book, and an earlier text by Theophilus Presbyter, showed that oil-based paints were used much earlier.
When Cennini Lived
We don't know the exact dates of Cennini's life. People used to think he was alive in 1437 because that date is on an old copy of his book. But a document from 1427 suggests he had already passed away by then. This document likely refers to his son.
The painting methods Cennini describes in his book were used from the 1200s to the late 1300s. His book doesn't mention new oil painting techniques that appeared in the early 1400s. This suggests he wrote his book around the turn of the century.
Advice for Young Artists
Cennini's book wasn't just about techniques. It also gave advice on how a young painter should live. He suggested that artists should live carefully, just like someone studying important subjects.
He wrote that artists should eat and drink in moderation. They should choose healthy foods and light wines. He also advised protecting their hands from hard work that could tire them out.
Influence on Other Artists
Cennini's book has influenced artists even centuries later. For example, the famous UK art forger Eric Hebborn was greatly inspired by Cennini. Hebborn wrote his own book, The Art Forger's Handbook, before he died.
According to author Victoria Finlay, Hebborn used Cennini's advice a lot. He learned how to prepare painting surfaces and make new artworks look old. He even used Cennini's trick of applying beaten egg-white to make paintings look varnished.
Images for kids
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Cennino Cennini, Beatified Bishop and Beatified Pope, Gemäldegalerie, Berlin
See also
In Spanish: Cennino Cennini para niños
