A Boy Named Giotto

Written by Paolo Guarnieri · Translated by Jonathan Galassi · Illustrated by Bimba Landmann

A shepherd boy's art surpasses his master's, changing history.

3.9/5 Goodreads · 76 ratings

32 pages

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Bookroo's summary

Young Giotto, a shepherd with a passion for drawing, dreams of becoming an artist. When he meets the renowned painter Cimabue, his life changes forever. Under Cimabue's guidance, Giotto learns the secrets of creating vibrant frescoes. But as his talent grows, so does the realization that he might surpass his master. Will Giotto's art secure him a place in history, or will his ambitions lead him astray? Discover the journey of a boy whose talent reshaped the art world, leaving a legacy that still shines centuries later.

From the publisher

A sparkling celebration of the pre-Renaissance master Centuries ago, a shepherd boy drew pictures of his sheep in the sand and on stones. Today, everyone knows him as Giotto, the pre-Renaissance master whose magnificent frescoes illuminate the Church of St. Francis in Assisi and the Scrovegni Chapel in Padua. “In A Boy Named Giotto,” Paolo Guarnieri tells a story of how young Giotto might have been apprenticed to the great master Cimabue and taught how to paint frescoes. In legendary fashion, Cimabue, as any other artist of the times might have done, realizes that the student has outdone the master and will subsequently find a permanent place of honor in the history of art. Bimba Landmann’s stunning paintings, with highlights of glittering gilt, call to mind the work of Giotto but exude a style that is distinctly Landmann’s own.

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