Angels in Florentine Iconography and Trecento Musical Performance

The significance of angel musicians in Florentine Trecento paintings has been disputed: some say they are simply symbols of heavenly music; others argue that they are real people, making real music. Some even argue that the textless voices in manuscripts of secular music were intended for instrumental performance. This study resolves this dispute by analysing the process of the production of artworks and correlating pictures with contemporary documents. Contemporary chronicles and payment records document the practice of confraternities of singing laude, before an image of the Virgin Mary, while dressed like angels, sometimes with instrumental accompaniment.

Summary

The significance of angel musicians in Florentine Trecento paintings has been disputed: some say they are simply symbols of heavenly music; others argue that they are real people, making real music. Some even argue that the textless voices in manuscripts of secular music were intended for instrumental performance. This study resolves this dispute by analysing the process of the production of artworks and correlating pictures with contemporary documents. Contemporary chronicles and payment records document the practice of confraternities of singing laude, before an image of the Virgin Mary, while dressed like angels, sometimes with instrumental accompaniment.

Product details

• Authors: John Alexander Stinson
• Publisher: Olms Wissenschaft
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 01.08.2024
• EAN: 9783487167077
• ISBN: 978-3-487-16707-7
• No. of pages: 342
• Dimensions: 180 mm x 24 mm x 250 mm
• Weight: 768 g
• Series: Musica mensurabilis
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Music; Engel, Kunst, Musikgeschichte, Musik, Performance, Italien, Florenz, Instrumentalmusik, N3-Rabatt, Music, Aufführung, Symbolik, Chroniken, angels, Arts, florence, Italy, himmlische Wesen, symbolism, Himmlische Musik, Trecento, Marienverehrung, Religiöse und zeremonielle Motive in der Kunst, Chronicles, instrumental music, Bruderschaften, instrumental accompaniment, Instrumentale Begleitung, Marian devotion, payment vouchers, Laudesi, confraternities, Florentinische Ikonographie, celestial music, Florentine iconography, Zahlungsbelege, celestial beings