Jeffrey Ruda´s work, first published in 1993, was the first full-scale study of Lippi to be published for many years, and provided an important reassessment of his life and work; it also attempted to define the nature of Lippi´s greatness as a portrayer of the subtleties of human feeling, and to place his achievement in the wider context of early Renaissance art. Ruda´s landmark survey is an invaluable reference, with full historical analysis, beautiful colour plates, and fascinating narrative text.