Firenze, Francesca da (fl. 15th c.)

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Firenze, Francesca da (fl. 15th c.)

Florentine artist and nun. Flourished in the 15th century in Florence; never married; no children.

Few artistic works have survived by the miniaturist Francesca da Firenze, and nothing is known of her birth or family. A highly educated nun who flourished as an artist in the scriptorium of a Florentine convent, Francesca represents a strong tradition of religious women who employed their artistic abilities for the benefit of their convents. Her miniature paintings and manuscript illuminations were well known in Florence, and the money generated from their sale helped support her conventual community.

Laura York , Riverside, California