Painting re-invented itself during the 15th century in Florence. Artists experimented in an innovative manner with pictorial subjects, forms and techniques and thus arrived at an unprece dented diversity of means of artistic expression. This volume tells in an interesting and nuanced manner of a unique creative development which permanently changed art in Europe.

By means of prestigious works of painting, sculpture and drawing the book aff ords a wide range of insights into the world of ideas and the working methods of the Florentine artists. With new self-confidence they investigated reality and the laws of harmony and beauty. They drew from Nature and studied the art of Antiquity.

Starting out from drawing and in competition with sculpture, the painters thus discovered completely new forms for the realistic portrayal of Man, for example in the portrait, as well as emotionally moving devotional pictures. The latest research on the outstandin g Florentine paintings in the Alte Pinakothek permits a new perspective on one of the most exciting chapters of art history.