Was Pippo the Fool really Pippo the Genius?
The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence was a marvel of art,
architecture, and engineering. But it lacked a finishing ornament, a
crown--a dome! The city fathers had a solution: to invite the finest
masters to compete for the chance to design a dome. The rumors of this
contest reached the ears of Filippo Brunelleschi, better known in
Florence as Pippo the Fool. As soon as he heard about the contest, Pippo
knew it was the chance he had been waiting for. "If I can win the
contest, I will finally lose that nickname once and for all!"
This book tells the story of the construction of an architectural
masterpiece--Brunelleschi's Dome. Tracey E. Fern depicts Pippo's prickly
personality with humor and warmth, and Pau Estrada's richly detailed
illustrations bring Renaissance Florence to life. An excellent way to
introduce kids to an important moment in Western engineering and
history.