The Florentine Renaissance was a time of great social as well as artistic change. The problem with the traditional canon of art history was its fascination with the 'great masters' and its inability to acknowledge the larger religious and social issues which affected artisans of the time. In order to counteract these shortcomings, this study presents a social and cultural biography of an 'average' Florentine Renaissance artisan, named Jacopo del Sellaio (1442-1493). Jacopo is an ideal foil for the so-called 'great master' painters of the late quattrocentro because, comparatively, he was as socially and financially successful as his more famous counterparts. An examination of his life also demonstrates that Florentine Renaissance artisans were not isolated in their creative efforts but were inextricably bound to their communities by a multitude of complex social processes and institutions. This challenges many of the traditional misconceptions surrounding the Renaissance and offers a more holistic approach in the study of art history. / The introduction notes the lack of attention scholars have given to minor Renaissance artisans, and offers an objective interpretation of Jacopo del Sellaio based on methodology used in the study of cultural history. The first chapter focuses on the literal and biographical history of Jacopo, including his neighbourhood relationships and early artistic development. Chapter two reviews the official and artistic role of Jacopo in three Florentine confraternities and the importance of artisans in creating visual representations that unified the aspirations of the community. The third chapter investigates Jacopo's professional career as an artisan, including his commercial relationships and production of art for domestic interiors. This chapter also considers the association between the demands of the art market and pictorial conventions of devotional imagery. / The last two chapters examine a selection of secular and religious panels. These images are discussed as exemplars for themes related to the distinctive social conduct of Florentines or the function of religious imagery in consolidating neighbourhood kinship and promoting pious behaviour. The conclusion speculates upon Jacopo del Sellaio's role as a respected and resolute bastion of his local community and the importance of art in creating and reinforcing social identity. / Thesis (MArt)--University of South Australia, 2002.