Filippo Lippi Biography and Artwork

Fra Filippo Lippi was a renowned Florentine painter who lived in the second generation of Renaissance artists. He was born around 1406 and died in 1469 while working on a commission in the Papal States. Although he had an undeniably religious context, Lippi’s works were revolutionary because they experimented with color and naturalism.

Lippi began his career working under Fra Diamante before moving onto Botticelli’s workshop. His influence can be seen throughout the Florentine school of painting, which he helped to define. The most important innovation introduced by Lippi was his reinvention of biblical figures into recognizable characters with nuanced emotions and realistic features.

Filippino Lippi, his son, followed in his father’s footsteps and became a widely celebrated painter as well. In spite of this inherited talent though, Fra Filippo Lippi may well have remained unknown today if not for his biography that included many bold stories about him. One such story is about how he was captured by Moors pirates and held captive until freed by Lorenzo de’ Medici—though some scholars doubt that tale.

Overall, despite having passed away over five centuries ago, Filppo’s contributions continue to affect artists to this day.

All Filippo Lippi Artwork on Artchive