THE TELEGRAPH
By Alastair Smart
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGAUYaO_LXmNtbgoTCYvVMjPSrpjmcwb0yaZo619M4ftMeu52_aceN9Lbn9gJ_lY9h2QkW0VivCzCqY7YYCMquvtmg0gbw2OvNHZ_AUKDovPi6qr5MNHwP7moma3Mp92MtCypitOlSwlCk/s400/palmieri-large.jpg) |
"The Assumption of the Virgin" (1475-66) by Francesco Bottincini |
UNITED KINGDOM---A few years ago a zany scientist called Roberto Volterri published a book claiming we all need to look at Italian Old Master paintings more carefully. Why? The heavenly dome in
Francesco Botticini's Assumption of the Virgin, for instance, was a flying saucer. Botticini's vast altarpiece – once in Florence’s San Pier Maggiore church and these days in the National Gallery collection – is now the subject of an exhibition. [
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![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtn-6nyZZMYMZR_yNf4DoC1aeNyYrQjRNi_KrVzxepSmk3oCK7rruEY1vQ8WkugpAgXPqEflnDsuG6ihvNKnkrsndMUnv29Qv22dps9RojoJaLiW2-kuwlGRTpAopJ0gDQfHvBllayGAkA/s400/palmieri-2-xlarge.jpg) |
Città di vita, text by Matteo Palmieri, illustration by Francesco Botticini, 1473 |
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