Knights of Art: Stories of the Italian Painters

From the earliest cave sketches to the dazzling frescoes of the Renaissance, the book traces how humanity learned to give shape to imagination. It begins with the simple joy children find in picture‑books, then widens to the moment when artists like Giotto and Fra Angelico revived realistic sight after centuries of stiff, symbolic art. The narrative weaves historical context with personal anecdotes, showing how a new way of seeing sparked a cultural awakening.

Within its pages the lives of more than twenty Italian masters unfold – from Botticelli’s mythic gardens to Leonardo’s restless curiosity, from Raphael’s harmonious compositions to Michelangelo’s towering ambition. Drawing on Vasari’s own recordings, the author paints each painter as a vivid character, revealing their workshops, rivalries, and the daring experiments that gave us some of the world’s most beloved images. Listeners will come away with a sharper eye for colour, form, and the quiet humanity behind every masterpiece.