John T. Spike, who received his doctorate in art history from Harvard University in 1979, is a noted authority on Italian paintings and drawings of the fifteenth through the eighteenth centuries. He is the author of eight books, most recently Caravaggio and Fra Angelico, both by Abbeville Press. Spike has served as the curator of international loan exhibitions of Italian art for major museums in Italy, Germany, and the United States. General Editor of The Illustrated Bartsch, he lives in Florence and is a frequent contributor to art journals, especially FMR and Storia dell'Arte.

With fresh insights that will influence studies of quattrocento art for years to come, Spike uses his perceptive eye and judicious readings of documents to reassess the works of Angelico, his masters, and his assistants. This essential volume contains an extensive essay on the artist's life and work, followed by large color plates with detailed discussions of individual works. Finally, a catalog presents the artist's oeuvre, as revised by the author's new attributions. With lavish details of Angelico's works and an up-to-date bibliography, this volume is not only a feast for the eyes but an indispensable resource for anyone interested in this critical period of the Renaissance.