Cennino D'Andrea Cennini

About the Author

Cennino D'Andrea Cennini was a 14th-century Italian painter and writer whose practical guide, The Craftsman's Handbook: "Il Libro dell' Arte," remains the most detailed surviving record of medieval artistic techniques. Drawing on his training under Agnolo Gaddi and his own studio experience, Cennini distilled generations of workshop knowledge into clear, step-by-step instructions for tempera painting, gilding, and panel preparation. His handbook bridges the gap between anonymous craft tradition and the emerging Renaissance emphasis on individual mastery, offering modern readers an intimate glimpse into the materials, tools, and daily rhythms of the late medieval studio.