quattrocento

American  

[kwah-troh-chen-toh, kwaht-traw-chen-taw] / ˌkwɑ troʊˈtʃɛn toʊ, ˌkwɑt trɔˈtʃɛn tɔ /

noun

(often initial capital letter)

1. the 15th century, used in reference to the Italian art and literature of that time.

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quattrocento British  

/ ˌkwætrəʊˈtʃɛntəʊ, kwattroˈtʃɛnto /

noun

1. the 15th century, esp in reference to Renaissance Italian art and literature

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Other Word Forms

• quattrocentist noun

Etymology

Origin of quattrocento

1870–75; < Italian, short for mil quattro cento 1400, occurring in the names of all the years from 1400 to 1499

Example Sentences

Like many old masters of the quattrocento, he painted religious works, portraits and mythological scenes.

From Washington Times • Feb. 1, 2015

The other gives a mostly fictional account of the nonfictional quattrocento painter Francesco del Cossa, whom Ms. Smith first came across in a copy of Frieze, the art magazine.

From New York Times • Nov. 25, 2014

And Cameron’s aristocratic-looking housemaid, Mary Hillier, modeled in Florentine costume for a profile portrait styled after quattrocento painting.

From New York Times • Aug. 22, 2013

As in many quattrocento paintings, the peripheral activity has a detached, dreamlike quality.

From The Guardian • Apr. 20, 2013

Thus flourished poetry in the Tuscan quattrocento; for Politian was but little more poet than Lorenzo, while he was no less dextrous as a rhymer and fashioner of conceits.

From Earthwork out of Tuscany Being Impressions and Translations of Maurice Hewlett by Hewlett, Maurice Henry