Artists and conservators view Il Libro dell’Arte as the absolute standard work when it comes to early painting techniques. The best-preserved medieval treatise on art is cited in virtually every study on the techniques of painting and restoration.
 
We know little about Cennino d’Andrea Cennini (1360?–1427?) himself. He is thought to have been born around 1360 in Colle di Val d’Elsa, a town in the province of Siena. Cennino learned the basics of the artist’s craft from his father Andrea before moving to the Florence workshop of Agnolo Gaddi, where he spent ten years. We find him again in 1388 working on the St Stephen frescoes in the church of San Lucchese near Poggibonsi. He then settled in Padua where he wrote his famous book.
 
Three manuscript copies of Il Libro dell’Arte have survived. This Dutch translation is based on the oldest and most original version: a 1437 text copied by a prisoner at the Carcere delle Stinche in Florence.
 
Besides the clear way it sets out contemporary painting techniques, Il Libro dell’Arte is fascinating for the insight it offers into the mentality of the period. Cennino’s refined writing style and solid professional knowledge make this book a unique document with much for contemporary painters, restorers and art lovers in general to enjoy.