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

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

From The Guardian • Apr. 20, 2013

She spent summers visiting museums in Europe, pursuing an  interest in quattrocento and old master painting.

From New York Times • Dec. 27, 2011

A woman has sat for the central figure of each, and the landscape round her is painted with the delicacy of a quattrocento Florentine.

From Renaissance in Italy: Italian Literature Part 1 (of 2) by Symonds, John Addington