Mantegna and Francia

This illustrated volume brings together the lives and works of two pivotal Renaissance painters, offering listeners a vivid portrait of their early years and artistic breakthroughs. Beginning in 15th‑century Padua, the narrative follows a young Andrea Mantegna as he emerges from a modest background to become the driving force behind a new school of painting, studying under the influential but modest Francesco Squarcione and quickly surpassing his contemporaries with bold compositions and a striking use of perspective.

The second part turns to Francesco Francia, a native of Bologna whose career unfolded amid a quieter artistic scene. The biography traces his apprenticeship, the development of his graceful devotional images, and the fruitful friendship he forged with Raphael that shaped his mature style, culminating in celebrated frescoes for the chapel of St. Cecilia. Richly annotated illustrations accompany the text, allowing listeners to picture the masterpieces as they are described.