LIPPI, Fra Filippo del Carmine, fri fe-lep'p6 del kar-me'ra lep'pe, Italian painter: b. Florence, 1406; d. Spoleto, 9 Oct. 1469. In his 15th year he entered the Carmelite monas tery at Florence and became a professed monk in 1421, to which calling he had no vocation. Early formed his style on the example of Masaccio, but was later influenced by Masolino, and Angelico of Fiesole (Fra Giovanni). In 1431 he left his convent, but without release from his vows. In 1434 he was commissioned to paint the 'Coronation of Our Lady' for the high altar of Saint Ambrogio. In 1442 he was appointed by the Pope, rector of the parish of San Quirico, at Legnaia, near Florence. In 1452 he began his work at Prato, and three years after, being convicted of fraud, was de prived of his benefice. He was appointed in 1456 chaplain to the nuns of Santa Margherita at Prato; was commissioned by them to paint a panel for the high altar of their church, and falling in love with Lucrezia Buti, who served as model for his Madonna, he abducted her (1 May) and carried her off to his house. She bore him two children, Filippino Lippi (q.v.) and a daughter, Alessandro. In 1461
he was released from his vows and granted a dispensation to marry her, but the marriage did not take place.
In his best work he united with the spiritual feeling of Fra Angelico of Ficsole the strong historic imagination, energetic modeling and unconventional loveliness of form and face, characteristic of Masaccio. His greatest mas terpiece is in the parish church at Prato, and consists of a series of frescoes illustrating the life of Saint Stephen, John the Baptist, etc. Many of his altar-pieces are now in the Floren tine Academy. His last frescoes in the cathe dral at Spoleto were executed with the collab oration of Fra Diamante. Examples of this painter are also to be found in the galleries of Berlin, Munich, Rome and the National Gallery, London. His 'Saint Lawrence, with Saint Cosmas and Damian and Two Donors' are in the Metropolitan Museum, New York. Consult Strutt, Edward C., (Fra Filippo Lippi' (London 1901); and Vasari's 'Lives of the Painters.'