RENAISSANCE. Italy forged to the front during this century. The Sforzas at Milan. the dukes of Ferrara, the royal House of Naples, the Medici at Florence were the greatest patrons besides the cathedral churches. The Cathedral of Siena still has the finest collection of illuminated missals and choir books decorated by Liberale da Verona, Girolamo do. Cremona, Francesco di Lorenzo, Roselli, and other leading artists. But the great est of all artists was Attavante, some of whose work can he seen at Florence (in the Cathedral). beside that of Gherardo, of Strozzi. the pupil of Fra. Angelico, and others. Sonic of Attavante's greatest masterpieces were executed for Matthias Corvinus (e.g. Missal of 1485-87). This Italian school did not aim at the delicate French effects. It remained broader; preferred to use large capital letters to frame its compositions; aimed at simplicity of composition with few figures.
The invention of printing, while it limited the scope of illumination by greatly diminishing the demand for manuscripts, did not at once give it its death blow. Printed books were often at first illuminated with initials or pictures added by hand in spaces left for them, a practice that lasted even into the first decade of the sixteenth century. Quite as fatal was the introduction of foreign methods into the art. borrowed from
fresco and oil painting. The old simplicity and aloofness from naturalism gave way to attempts at effects that were totally foreign to the true spirit of illumination: shading and delicacy of coloring, imitation of natural objects, importance given to perspective and accessories. The works of Raphael's pupil. Giulio Clovis. are the most charming of this mistaken school. Prominent among the works of the old school is the some what earlier Grimani Breviary (c. 1477) in Ven ice. so long ascribed to Mending, the last master piece of the Flemish school. In France the famous Missal of Anne of Brittany (150S. Saint Petersburg Library) is the expiring etTort of the national school. which was succeeded by the Italian masters of the Fontainebleau group. The breaking down of the technical differences be tween the larger forms: of painting and illumina tion was at this time helped by the work of such artists as Fra Bartolommeo della Porta, who practiced both branches. Henceforth illu mination ceased to count in the history of art. In the reign of Louis XIV. the art became ex tinet. ending in the style called cainai(a (iris, a kind of 111011flehr01110 in which the lights are white or gold, and shaded so as to emulate bas-reliefs.