ANDREA DA FIRENZE,

also called Andrea Di Bonaiuti flourished c. 1337, 77 Florentine fresco painter whose considerable ability is demonstrated by his works in the church of Sta. Maria Novella in Florence. Andrea studied at the Arte dei Medici e degli Speziali in Florence. At the end of 1365 he was commissioned to decorate the chapter house of the church of Sta. Maria Novella. Also attributed to him are the decorations in the Spanish chapel and the cartoon (full-scale drawing) for the stained-glass window of the facade. Although he was acquainted with Giotto's innovations in modelling and spatial depth, he was strongly influenced by the linear, hieratic art of his Florentine contemporary Andrea Orcagna, and most of his works display the rigid compositions and immobile faces associated with the Byzantine tradition. Also attributed to Andrea are the three upper panels of a mural showing the life of St. Ranieri in the Campo Santo (cemetery) at Pisa.