Fra Angelico.
The Patron of Catholic Artists.

Fra Angelico's exact date of birth is not known, but 1395 up to about 1400 is the accepted estimate. He was known in Italy as Beato Angelica (the blessed).

In 1418 he became a Dominican Friar at the Carmine under his birth name of Guido di Pietro. He was initially trained as an illuminator working with Benedetto, his older brother. He also nurtured a deeply religious love of humanity, and a sense of humility before his God.

A contemporary of Donatello his earliest datable work is "The Linaiuoli Madonna" painted for the Cloth Guild in 1433.

In 1436 "Beato" moved to the newly-built monastery of San Marco in Florence. Cosimo de Medici commissioned him to decorate the monastery and the artist painted a sacred scene in each monks cell and at the end of every corridor. These paintings are among his finest and most beautiful works, and are influenced by the work of Masaccio.

"Annunciation" (W)

"Baptism of Christ" (W)

In 1447 the artist painted the private chapel of Nicholas V in Rome. His theme was the lives of St Lawrence and St Stephen.

"Scenes from the lives of St Lawrence and St Stephen" (W)

Beato died in Rome in 1455 and was buried in the church of Santa Maria sopro Minerva.

The artist was beatified on October 3rd 1982 by Pope John Paul II, and he was declared patron of Catholic artists in 1984. He also has a hazelnut liqueur "Frangelico" named in his honour, truly a measure of the artist's lasting popularity.

From Fra Angelico to Masaccio
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