MinDatabase - AI Agent Instructions

Version: 3.0

Last Updated: 8 February 2026

What This Project Is

MinDatabase is a scholarly knowledge repository, not a software project. It documents medieval Italian artists (13th-14th centuries, Duecento/Trecento periods) through detailed academic essays combining archival evidence, art historical analysis, and family/patronage network documentation. No builds, tests, or deployments—pure historical prose.

Essential Quick Reference

Aspect	Details
Core Task	Write 1000-4000+ word academic essays on medieval artists (focus: Siena, Florence, Pisa, Assisi)
Content Model	Flowing multi-paragraph prose (3-8 sentences/paragraph), NOT bullet points or outlines
Key Files	`Content/Artists/[Century]/[Name].md` (VII, VIII, X, XI, XII, XIII, XIII-XIV, XIV) \| `Content/Churches/[Church].md` \| `Content/Codex/[Document].md` \| `Content/Papirer/[Work].md` \| `Content/prompts/plan-minDatabase.prompt.md` \| `Content/Artists/XIII century/add_sections.py`
Section Pattern	Early Life → Patrons → Artistic Style → Influences → Travels → Death & Legacy → Major Works
Minimum Evidence	1 surviving work OR 2+ archival mentions OR established scholarship consensus
Commits	Incremental per section: `"Add Early Life to [Artist]"` (not batch commits)
Git Workflow	Main discipline: frequent small commits with descriptive messages

Critical Conventions (These Differ from Generic Patterns)

Scholarly Tone: This is academic art history, not technical writing. Expect:

Complex patronage structures explained across multi-paragraph sections (Memmo example: 7 pages on San Gimignano civic commission)
Archival specificity: dates, payment records (“Commune of San Gimignano recorded a payment to ‘Memmo pittore e Lippo suo figliuolo’ 1317”)
Technical vocabulary: fresco giornata technique, “Maniera Greca” Byzantine inheritance, chiaroscuro modeling, polychromy, volumetric forms
Historiographical transparency: “Vasari famously confused…” when addressing documented scholarly debates

Content Integration: Artists exist as network nodes within interconnected systems

Family workshops: Memmo→Lippo (son) + Federico (son) → Simone Martini (son-in-law via Giovanna)
Patronage hubs: Assisi (Basilica San Francesco), San Gimignano (civic center), Siena, Florence, Pisa
Stylistic lineages: Coppo di Marcovaldo → Cimabue → Giotto di Bondone (documented succession)
Cross-references expected: “Following Giotto’s spatial innovations” not isolated analysis

Prose Quality Matters: Each artist essay should read as coherent narrative, not disconnected sections:

Paragraph transitions must connect ideas (not just list facts)
Evidence integrated into flowing argument (not quoted separately)
Varied sentence structure to maintain scholarly rhythm

Art Historical Specifics (Codebase-Specific Knowledge)

The “Big Picture” Historical Arc:

Medieval Italian painting transition: Byzantine static iconography (Maniera Greca) → Proto-Renaissance volumetric realism (Giotto) → Gothic refinement (Simone Martini) → International Gothic
Geographic centers: Pisan school (Berlinghiero family, Giunta Pisano) → Florence innovation (Cimabue, Giotto) → Sienese tradition (Duccio, Memmo, Simone)
Critical moment: Assisi (Basilica San Francesco) as “school of the world” where Byzantine, Roman, Florentine, Umbrian styles collided

Existing Artist Network (Know these interconnections):

Master-pupil: Coppo → Cimabue → Giotto (documented succession across 3 generations)
Memmo cluster: Memmo (patriarch) + sons Lippo & Federico + daughter Giovanna (married Simone Martini) = interconnected Sienese/San Gimignano workshop
Pisan foundation: Berlinghieri family established crucifix tradition → Giunta Pisano refined Christus patiens iconography → influenced Coppo di Marcovaldo
Cross-regional: Memmo trained at Assisi (exposure to Giotto) → exported spatial realism back to San Gimignano fresco cycles

Currently Complete Artists (22 entries): Memmo di Filippuccio, Lippo Memmi, Giotto di Bondone, Cimabue, Simone Martini, Duccio di Buoninsegna, Coppo di Marcovaldo, Giunta Pisano, Berlinghiero Berlinghieri, Bonaventura Berlinghieri, Marco Berlinghieri, and others documented across the century folders under Content/Artists/

Priority Gaps (Cross-referenced in 3+ files, still need entries):

Pietro Cavallini (Roman master, spatial influence) — mentioned in Giotto/Cimabue contexts
Salerno di Coppo (Coppo’s son, documented 1274 crucifix)
Corso di Buono (mid-13th Florentine master)
Ambrogio & Pietro Lorenzetti (Sienese brothers, Palazzo Pubblico commissions)

File Organization & Naming Conventions

Content/
├── Artists/
│   ├── VII century/
│   │   └── [Artist Name].md
│   ├── VIII century/
│   │   └── [Artist Name].md
│   ├── X century/
│   │   └── [Artist Name].md
│   ├── XI century/
│   │   └── [Artist Name].md
│   ├── XII century/
│   │   └── [Artist Name].md
│   ├── XIII century/
│   │   ├── add_sections.py      # Python utility for inserting ## headings (described below)
│   │   └── [Artist Name].md
│   ├── XIII-XIV century/
│   │   └── [Artist Name].md
│   └── XIV century/
│       └── [Artist Name].md
├── Churches/
│   └── [Church Name].md         # Institutional essays (architecture, decoration, anonymous masters)
├── Codex/
│   └── [Document Name].md       # Historical documents
├── Papirer/
│   └── [Work or Paper].md       # Artwork or paper studies
└── prompts/
    └── plan-minDatabase.prompt.md

Choosing the Correct Century Folder

Use the artist’s primary active period (not birth) to pick the folder. When uncertain, prefer the earliest well-documented activity date.

VII century: Active 600s
VIII century: Active 700s
X century: Active 900s
XI century: Active 1000s
XII century: Active 1100s
XIII century: Active 1200s (Duecento)
XIII-XIV century: Career spans late 1200s into early 1300s without a clear dominant decade
XIV century: Active 1300s (Trecento)

If an artist’s only secure date is a single commission, file by that commission’s date. If multiple commissions cluster in one century, use that century even if the artist’s life crosses the boundary.

File Naming Rules:

Use Italian name order with patronymics: Memmo di Filippuccio.md, Simone Martini.md (not “Filipuccio, Memmo”)
Anonymous masters: Full scholarly designation: Maestro di Sant'Alò.md, Master of the Isaac Stories.md
Capitalize properly: Giovanni d'Apparecchiato.md (lowercase d’ acceptable for prepositions)
No numerical prefixes or date sorting (defeats scholarly findability)

Content Structure for New Artists

Section Framework (adapt titles for sculptors/architects—use “Sculptural Style” instead of “Painting Style”):

Early Life and Family (2-3 para) — birth, father’s profession, family social standing, apprenticeship context, siblings/dynasty
Patrons and Commissions (4-5 para) — major patrons (civic/ecclesiastical/private), specific commissions with dates, payment records, collaboration dynamics
Artistic Style OR Sculptural Style (3-4 para) — foundational influences (Maniera Greca), technical evolution, specific works as evidence, synthesis of traditions, color/material mastery
Artistic Influences (3-4 para) — predecessor artists, stylistic inheritance, what innovations the artist adopted/rejected, comparative analysis (“unlike Wiligelmo’s archaic approach…”)
Travels and Career (2-3 para) — geographic movement as career progression, exposure to different schools, workshop locations, patronage opportunities
Death and Legacy (2-3 para) — historical impact, influence on Renaissance artists, family continuity, historiographical debates
Major Works (1-2 para, if space) — 2-3 masterpieces with location, date, technical details, iconographic meaning

Evidence Threshold for New Artists:

Minimum: 1 documented attributed work OR 2+ independent archival mentions OR consistent scholarship consensus
Preferred: Combination of attributed works + documentary evidence (contracts, payments) + established literature

Technical Patterns: Python Utility `add_sections.py`

Purpose: Automates insertion of ## section headings into prose that lacks formal structure.

Workflow:

Read target artist file, identify natural section breaks (paragraph transitions)

Edit REPLACEMENTS dict in script with exact text matches for that file:

REPLACEMENTS = {
    "Giotto di Bondone.md": [
        ("early fourteenth-century Italy.\n\nGiotto's reputation drew",
         "early fourteenth-century Italy.\n\n## Patrons and Commissions\n\nGiotto's reputation drew"),
    ],
}

Run from Content/Artists/XIII century/ directory:
```
python3 add_sections.py "Artist Name.md" --dry-run  # Preview only
python3 add_sections.py "Artist Name.md"            # Apply changes
```
If the target file is in a different century folder, pass a relative path (e.g., ../XIII-XIV century/Artist Name.md).
Review output manually; script finds text matches but doesn’t understand semantics

Critical: String matching must be exact (whitespace, punctuation, capitalization). Use 3-5 lines of surrounding context to ensure uniqueness.

Commit Discipline

Incremental, not batch:

✅ "Add Early Life section to Lippo Memmi" (one section = one commit)
✅ "Add Patrons and Commissions section to Lippo Memmi" (next section = next commit)
❌ "Add Lippo Memmi article (complete)" (batches are discouraged)

Cross-file updates:

When adding new artist: "Add Lippo Memmi entry"
When fixing relationships: "Update cross-references: Memmo ↔ Lippo Memmi ↔ Simone Martini"
Script changes: Commit separately from content: "Configure add_sections.py for [Artist Name]"

Common Content Patterns (Reference Examples)

Opening a Family Dynasty Section (from Memmo di Filippuccio):

“Memmo established a dynastic workshop that would become one of the most influential artistic families in the Trecento, primarily through his two sons, Lippo and Federico…The training Memmo provided to his sons was comprehensive, encompassing both the monumental fresco techniques he mastered at Assisi and the delicate miniature work of the Sienese tradition.”

Establishes prestige → lists family members → explains skill transmission → contextualizes training

Integrating Archival Evidence (payment records):

“In 1317, the Commune of San Gimignano recorded a payment to ‘Memmo pittore e Lippo suo figliuolo’ for the painting in the Council Hall, indicating that while Memmo was the legal contractor, Lippo was the primary executant.”

Cites document explicitly → draws inference about power dynamics → connects to broader patronage narrative

Handling Historiographical Confusion:

“Early chroniclers like Vasari famously confused the relationships, sometimes conflating Lippo and Memmo or misidentifying their connection to Simone Martini. It has taken modern archival research to disentangle Memmo di Filippuccio’s individual contributions from the collective output of his bottega.”

Acknowledges confusion → explains source of error → documents modern correction

Stylistic Analysis Connecting Technique to Meaning:

“The modelling of his figures reveals a deep engagement with the problems of chiaroscuro and light, tools he used to generate volume. Memmo moved away from the sharp, linear striations of Byzantine highlighting towards softer, blended transitions of colour that suggest rounded form.”

Names technical innovation → contrasts with predecessor style → explains expressive impact

Project Overview

MinDatabase is a scholarly database of detailed historical essays on medieval Italian artists. This is NOT a software project but a knowledge repository focused on art history, particularly Tuscan painters and sculptors from the 13th-14th centuries (Duecento and Trecento periods).

Core Architecture & Content Patterns

File Structure

Individual artist profile files: [Artist Name].md (in Content/Artists/[Century]/ directory)
Church/institutional essays: [Church Name].md (in Content/Churches/ directory - architectural and art historical analysis)
Codex documentation: Historical documents (in Content/Codex/ directory)
Papirer studies: Artwork or paper-specific notes (in Content/Papirer/ directory)
Prompt templates: Plan files (in Content/prompts/ directory)
Utility script: add_sections.py - automates section heading insertion into markdown files (located in Content/Artists/XIII century/)

Standard Artist Article Structure

Each artist essay follows a consistent section format:

Early Life and Family - Birth, family background, apprenticeship context, family workshop dynamics, economic status
Patrons and Commissions - Institutional and private patronage relationships, contractual arrangements, payment structures
Artistic Innovations (or Sculptural Style and Technical Characteristics) - Technical innovations, stylistic evolution, material mastery, influence on later art
Artistic Influences - Predecessor artists, schools, and cultural movements, synthesis of diverse traditions
Travels and Career (or Geographic Movements and Workshop Locations) - Geographic movement, workshop practices, professional network, trade route connectivity
Death and Legacy - Historical impact, influence on Renaissance artists, family continuity
Major Works and Masterpieces (variable) - Documentation of key works with detailed compositional and iconographic analysis
Additional Institutional Sections (sculpture/architecture contexts) - May include “Architectural Sculpture and Integration,” “Institutional Patronage Structure” for major commissions

Note: Section titles vary by artist discipline (sculptors use “Sculptural Style”; painters have additional institutional analysis sections). The section structure supports narrative coherence while documenting complex patronage networks.

Standard Church/Institutional Essay Structure

Church and institutional essays (in Churches/ directory) follow a distinct architectural/art historical format:

History of the [Frescoes/Decoration] - Construction chronology, patronage origins, building campaigns, architectural phasing, commissioning circumstances
Materials and Techniques - Technical execution (fresco vs. secco), pigment analysis, scientific studies (SEM-EDS, infrared reflectography), preparation methods (arriccio, giornata), conservation findings
Artists and Their Background - Workshop organization, regional stylistic affiliations (e.g., “Angevin style”), itinerant painter networks, anonymity vs. documented masters, training lineages
Religious Art and Church Furnishings - Liturgical function (Benedictine Divine Office, monastic ceremonial), spatial organization (choir, transept, crypt), reliquary shrines, lost furnishings (altar cloths, metalwork)
Illuminated Manuscripts and Pictorial Arts - Relationship between mural painting and manuscript illumination, iconographic model transmission, scriptoria connections, shared pigment palettes
External Influences - Carolingian/Ottonian precedents, Byzantine transmissions, regional schools (Angevin, Poitevin), pilgrimage route networks, transalpine Gothic influences
Preservation and Conservation - Destruction/survival history (Wars of Religion, French Revolution), 19th-century rescue campaigns (Mérimée), modern conservation science, UNESCO designation

Note: Church essays emphasize anonymous workshop traditions and architectural integration, contrasting with artist essays’ focus on individual biography and patronage networks. Cross-reference artists when documented (e.g., “Giotto worked here circa 1290”), but accept anonymity as historical norm for monumental decoration.

Writing Style & Conventions

Highly detailed, academic prose: Multi-paragraph sections (2-6+ paragraphs per section) with extensive contextual information; each paragraph develops a single argument with supporting evidence
Medieval Italian focus: Emphasis on Siena, Florence, Umbria; Byzantine-to-Renaissance transition; Tuscan workshop dynamics (goldsmith families, guild structures)
Named figures as network nodes: Detailed patronage relationships, family workshops, artistic dynasties; emphasize who trained whom, family marriages (e.g., “Giovanna married Simone Martini”), financial interdependence
Technical art history vocabulary: Fresco techniques (“giornata,” true fresco), “Maniera Greca,” chiaroscuro, sfumato, volumetric modeling, drapery treatment, altarpieces, polychromy, relief carving
Archival detail: Specific dates (where documented), payment records, institutional documentation; e.g., “The Commune of San Gimignano recorded a payment to ‘Memmo pittore e Lippo suo figliuolo’” establishes both patronage and family hierarchy
Contextual richness: Each artist situated within broader systems—guilds, trade routes, ecclesiastical structures, political regimes, pilgrimage routes (Via Francigena), economic patronage cycles
Bibliographic literacy: References to medieval chronicles (Vasari, Boccaccio), modern scholarship; acknowledgment of historiographical gaps and misattributions
Reciprocal causality: Explain not just what happened but why—e.g., why Memmo’s goldsmith father mattered to his painting technique, why Podestà’s 6-month terms influenced fresco subject matter
Physical and sensory specificity: Describe materials (lapis lazuli, ultramarine, marble types), light effects, viewer positioning; e.g., “The cathedral’s clerestory windows illuminate the polychromed surfaces”

Key Project Workflows

Commit and Versioning Workflow

Incremental commits: Commit changes after completing each major section (e.g., “Add Early Life section to [Artist Name]”) rather than waiting for entire article completion
Commit message format: Use descriptive messages following pattern: “Add [Section Name] to [Artist Name]” or “Update [specific detail] in [Artist Name]”
Work-in-progress articles: Acceptable to commit incomplete articles with clear indication in the commit message (e.g., “WIP: [Artist Name] - sections 1-3 complete”)
Factual corrections: Prioritize commits that fix dates, attributions, or archival references; message format: “Correct [specific error] in [Artist Name]”
Cross-reference updates: When adding/modifying an artist, review and update cross-references in related artist files; commit as: “Update cross-references: [Artist A] ↔ [Artist B]”
Script modifications: Changes to add_sections.py should be committed separately from content changes; include test run results in commit message
Batch updates: When applying consistent formatting or structural changes across multiple files, use batch commit: “Standardize [specific element] across [number] artist files”
Restoration of deleted content: If reverting changes, explain reasoning in commit message: “Restore [content] in [Artist Name] - original formulation more historically accurate”

Content Additions & Maintenance

New artist files: Create markdown following the standard section structure above. Begin with “Early Life and Family” using biographical/genealogical evidence; progressively build outward to geography and legacy
Section organization: Use add_sections.py to inject ## heading markers into flowing prose that lacks structure
- Script pattern: Opens file → defines replacement tuples (old_text → new_text) with exact string matching → writes back
- Example: Detect phrase like “early fourteenth-century Italy.\n\nGiotto’s reputation drew” and insert “## Patrons and Commissions\n\n” between paragraphs
- Usage: python3 add_sections.py "Artist Name.md" --dry-run (accepts filename as argument; use –dry-run to preview changes)
- Configuration: Edit REPLACEMENTS dictionary in script to add patterns for new files before running
- Important: Review the generated sections for accuracy; the script is a structural aid, not semantic analyzer
Updating existing files: Preserve existing structure and tone. When expanding a section, maintain paragraph-length explanations rather than bullet points
Cross-reference verification: When adding names or dates, cross-check against existing artist files to ensure consistency (e.g., Memmo’s relationship to Lippo, Simone Martini’s connection to San Gimignano)

Content Priority Criteria for New Artists

When deciding which artists to add to the database, prioritize based on:

Tier 1 - Immediate Priority (4000+ words target)

Foundational masters: Artists who defined stylistic movements (e.g., Duccio, Cimabue, Pietro Cavallini)
Documented workshop dynasties: Artists with well-documented family workshops and patronage networks
Cross-referenced figures: Artists mentioned in 3+ existing articles but lacking dedicated entries
Archival richness: Artists with substantial surviving contracts, payment records, or contemporary documentation
Major civic/ecclesiastical commissions: Artists who executed significant works for Siena, Florence, Assisi, or major cathedrals

Tier 2 - High Priority (2000-4000 words target)

Regional school representatives: Key figures in Sienese, Florentine, Umbrian, or Pisan traditions
Transitional figures: Artists bridging Byzantine to Proto-Renaissance or Romanesque to Gothic
Documented collaborators: Artists who worked alongside Tier 1 masters with clear attribution evidence
Pilgrimage route artists: Masters active along Via Francigena or other major pilgrimage routes
Workshop successors: Second-generation masters who perpetuated established traditions

Tier 3 - Standard Priority (1000-2000 words target)

Specialized craftsmen: Goldsmiths, miniaturists, or sculptors with distinct technical contributions
Provincial masters: Artists working in secondary Tuscan or Umbrian towns with surviving works
Fragmentary attribution cases: Anonymous masters identified through stylistic analysis (“Maestro di…”)
Single major work survivors: Artists known primarily through one significant surviving commission
Guild and institutional figures: Artists documented in guild records but with limited surviving work

Tier 4 - Contextual Priority (500-1000 words target)

Apprentices and assistants: Documented workshop members with minimal independent work
Family members: Relatives of major artists with supporting roles (e.g., Memmo’s son Federico)
Cross-reference completeness: Minor figures mentioned in existing articles requiring brief biographical entries
Archival mentions: Artists appearing in payment records but lacking attributed works

Exclusion Criteria

Artists with no surviving works AND no substantial archival documentation
Renaissance masters post-1400 (outside database temporal scope)
Artists whose attribution remains highly contested with no scholarly consensus
Non-Italian masters unless directly involved in Italian commissions (e.g., French masters at Avignon papal court)

Evidence Threshold

Minimum requirement: Either 1 surviving attributed work OR 2+ independent archival mentions OR consistent scholarly recognition
Preferred: Combination of attributed works + documentary evidence + established art historical literature

Critical Decision: Human-Centric Design

This database is not optimized for machine indexing or structured data extraction. It prioritizes:

Rich contextual narrative over rigid schema
Prose readability over metadata tagging
Historical accuracy and nuance over standardization
Scholarly authority over accessibility features (no glossaries, indices, or semantic markup)

Implication for AI agents: Any proposed structural changes must preserve narrative quality and scholarly tone. Consider whether standardization serves readers or just machines.

Content Cross-References & Interconnections

Artist Network Map (partial)

Memmo di Filippuccio (father) → Lippo Memmi (son, pupil of Simone Martini)
Memmo di Filippuccio → Simone Martini (son-in-law, via daughter Giovanna)
Giotto di Bondone (teacher/influence) → influenced Memmo di Filippuccio, Simone Martini, Maestro delle Storie di Isacco (possibly Giotto himself)
Duccio di Buoninsegna → foundational to Memmo di Filippuccio and all Sienese painters; influenced later repainting of Coppo di Marcovaldo’s Madonna del Bordone
Coppo di Marcovaldo → influenced Cimabue (stylistic debate ongoing); father-son workshop with Salerno di Coppo
Giunta Pisano → influenced Coppo di Marcovaldo and Cimabue; established Christus patiens iconography
Cimabue (teacher) → Giotto di Bondone; possibly trained Maestro delle Storie di Isacco
Berlinghiero Berlinghieri → contemporary/predecessor to Giunta Pisano in Pisan tradition

Priority Artist Additions (Heavily Cross-Referenced but Missing)

The following artists are mentioned extensively across existing articles but still lack dedicated entries:

Lippo Memmi - Son of Memmo; collaborated with father and Simone Martini; co-signed 1333 Annunciation
Pietro Cavallini - Roman master; influenced spatial developments; mentioned in Giotto and other contexts
Salerno di Coppo - Son/collaborator of Coppo; documented 1274 crucifix work
Ambrogio Lorenzetti - Major Sienese painter; Palazzo Pubblico frescoes
Pietro Lorenzetti - Brother of Ambrogio; important Sienese master
Andrea Pisano - Sculptor; Florence Baptistery bronze doors

Recently Added (Now Complete):

✓ Duccio di Buoninsegna - Foundational Sienese master
✓ Cimabue - Critical link between Coppo/Giunta and Giotto
✓ Simone Martini - Son-in-law of Memmo; major Sienese painter

Patronage & Geographic Hubs

Siena: Artistic capital; home to Duccio, Simone Martini, Memmo family
San Gimignano: Secondary hub; Memmo as “Pictor Civicus”; civic commissions dominate
Assisi (Basilica of San Francesco): International workshop; Giotto, Cimabue, Memmo worked here
Padua: Intellectual center; Giotto’s Arena Chapel (1303–1306)

Stylistic Evolution Tracked

Medieval pattern: “Maniera Greca” (Byzantine) → Proto-Renaissance (Giotto) → Gothic refinement (Simone Martini) → International Gothic. Each artist’s work documents one phase of this transition.

Cross-Reference Patterns: Churches ↔ Artists

Church essays and artist essays interlink through shared geographic/temporal contexts:

From Church → Artist (when documented masters worked on site):

Direct attribution: “Giotto di Bondone executed the Arena Chapel frescoes (1303-1306)” → link to Giotto essay
Workshop attribution: “The Assisi Upper Church frescoes, attributed to the workshop of Cimabue or possibly the young Giotto” → mention both with caveats
Documented presence: “Payment records confirm Memmo di Filippuccio’s work in San Gimignano’s Palazzo del Popolo”

From Church → Anonymous Masters (establish pattern for future artist entries):

Use scholarly designation: “The Saint-Savin murals were executed by an anonymous Romanesque Painter, French (active c. 1100)”
Describe workshop characteristics: “Itinerant professional painters traveling among ecclesiastical building sites”
Regional stylistic affiliation: “The Angevin style, characterized by linear designs and flat compositional arrangements”
This establishes nomenclature for potential future artist entries on anonymous masters

From Artist → Churches (when artist worked at documented sites):

Narrative integration: In “Travels and Career” section, mention specific commissions: “Giotto’s journey to Padua resulted in the revolutionary Arena Chapel frescoes”
Patronage documentation: In “Patrons and Commissions,” cite institutional records: “The Franciscan order at Assisi commissioned Giotto for the Upper Church narrative cycles”
Cross-regional influence: “Exposure to French Gothic architectural sculpture at Rheims influenced Anselmo da Campione’s later work”

Maintaining Cross-Reference Consistency:

When adding new church essay, search existing artist files for mentions of that site
When adding artist who worked at documented church, verify church essay exists or add to priority list
Use consistent terminology: “Assisi (Basilica of San Francesco)” not “Assisi Basilica” or “San Francesco d’Assisi”
Anonymous masters: Use scholarly convention (“Maestro di [Location]”) to enable future dedicated entries

Guidelines for Content Modifications

Preserve scholarly depth: Avoid simplifying complex patronage or stylistic arguments. If simplification is necessary, add clarifying context rather than deleting nuance.
Maintain narrative flow: Don’t break flowing prose into bullet points unless the original article already uses them. Multi-paragraph explanations are preferred.
Honor archival specificity: Dates, names, and documentary references are intentional. Verify exact dates against existing files before modifying (e.g., payment records to “Memmo pittore e Lippo suo figliuolo” in 1317).
Respect artist hierarchy: Giotto and Duccio merit expansive treatment (4000+ words); mid-tier artists 2000–4000 words; lesser-known masters 1000–2000 words. Match new content to artist’s documented historical significance.
Check cross-references: When mentioning another artist, verify consistency with that artist’s file. Family relationships, patronage timelines, and stylistic influences should align across files (e.g., Simone Martini married Giovanna, daughter of Memmo).
Avoid anachronistic terminology: Use period-appropriate language and historical frameworks. “Renaissance” is acceptable for later figures; earlier artists use “Proto-Renaissance” or “Romanesque” as appropriate.
Document uncertainty transparently: When dates or attributions are debated, acknowledge the historiography: “Scholars debate whether…” or “The date remains uncertain, though documentary evidence suggests…” Don’t flatten ambiguity.

File Naming and Organization Conventions

Artist File Naming

Standard format: [First Name] [Patronymic/Family Name].md (e.g., Memmo di Filippuccio.md, Giotto di Bondone.md)
Italian name order: Maintain historical Italian naming conventions; keep patronymics intact (“di”, “da”, “del”, “della”)
Capitalization: Capitalize first letter of each significant word: Giovanni d'Apparecchiato.md (lowercase “d’” is acceptable for articles/prepositions)
Anonymous masters: Use full scholarly designation: Maestro di [Location/Attribution].md (e.g., Maestro di Sant'Alò.md)
Multiple name variants: Choose the most historically documented form; note variants in first paragraph of article
Special characters: Use standard apostrophes and accents as they appear in scholarly sources (e.g., Sant'Alò, not Sant-Alo)
Disambiguation: If two artists share names, append birth/death dates in parentheses: Giovanni Pisano (c.1250-1315).md
Family workshop attributions: For collective works, file under most prominent family member with notation in content

Non-Artist Files

Church/institutional essays: Use full formal title: The Abbey Church of Saint-Savin-sur-Gartempe: A Comprehensive Art Historical Analysis.md (stored in Content/Churches/ directory)
Historical documents: Use full formal title if needed: Codex Aureus of Saint Emmeram.md (stored in Content/Codex/ directory)
Papirer studies: Use work-title format: Giunta Pisano, Crucifix of Saint Dominic: A Comprehensive Study.md (stored in Content/Papirer/ directory)
Prompt templates: Keep lowercase with hyphens: plan-minDatabase.prompt.md (stored in Content/prompts/ directory)
Supporting documentation: Lowercase with hyphens for technical files: add_sections.py, plan-minDatabase.prompt.md
Geographic/institutional surveys: Format as [Institution/Location] - [Topic].md or The [Full Name].md

Organization Principles

All artist files reside in century subfolders under Content/Artists/ (VII, VIII, X, XI, XII, XIII, XIII-XIV, XIV)
Church/institutional essays reside in Content/Churches/ directory
Codex documentation resides in Content/Codex/ directory
Alphabetical sorting by first name (medieval convention; “Giotto” not “Bondone”)
Utility script remains in Content/Artists/XIII century/
No numerical prefixes or date-based sorting (defeats scholarly findability)

File Format Notes

All markdown files use UTF-8 encoding with multiline prose paragraphs (typically 3-8 sentences per paragraph)
YAML front matter only where already present (Codex files); do not add elsewhere
Section headings marked with ## (markdown level 2 only; no level-1 or level-3+ headings within article body)
Emphasis via italics (text) for key concepts (e.g., pontile, Massaro, giornata), bold for titles/proper names requiring emphasis
Internal cross-references via artist names (not markdown links); e.g., “Following the style of Giotto di Bondone” rather than [Giotto](./Giotto di Bondone.md)
Paragraph breaks: Double newlines between paragraphs; single newlines within continuous prose
Long quotations from archival sources embedded inline with context; no separate blockquote formatting

Footnote Conventions

All footnotes throughout the site use HTML anchor syntax, not Markdown [^N] syntax. The Markdown footnote format is never used.

Inline reference (in body text)

Place immediately after the annotated term or phrase, with no space before it:

monastery of Korwey<a id="fnref:1" href="#fn:1" class="footnote"><sup>1</sup></a>

Definition block (end of file)

A single <ol class="footnotes"> block appears at the very end of the file, after all prose sections. Each item uses this structure:

<ol class="footnotes">
  <li id="fn:1">
    <p>Footnote text here. <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote__back" aria-label="Back to reference">↩</a></p>
  </li>
  <li id="fn:2">
    <p>Footnote text here. <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote__back" aria-label="Back to reference">↩</a></p>
  </li>
</ol>

Numbering rules

Numbers run sequentially (1, 2, 3…) in the order they first appear in the body text, top to bottom
The <li> items in the definition block must follow the same top-to-bottom order
If a new footnote is inserted earlier in the text than existing ones, renumber all subsequent references to keep inline order and definition order in sync

Media and Image Guidelines

Current State: Text-Only Repository

MinDatabase currently operates as a text-only scholarly resource with no embedded images, photographs, or multimedia elements. This decision reflects:

Focus on dense analytical prose over visual documentation
Copyright complexities for medieval artworks photographed in situ
Bandwidth efficiency for academic research contexts
Emphasis on art historical description as primary interpretive mode

Image Integration Policy (If Future Implementation)

Should images be added in future, follow these principles:

Permitted Image Types

Public domain photographs of artworks pre-1900
Creative Commons licensed images with proper attribution
Own photography of artworks where permitted by institutions
Line drawings, diagrams, or reconstructions created for the project
Archival document reproductions (contracts, payment records) where legally obtained

Image Organization

Store images in dedicated /images/[Artist Name]/ subdirectories
Naming convention: [Artist Name] - [Work Title] - [Detail Description].jpg
Example: Memmo di Filippuccio - Camera del Podestà - Bath Scene Detail.jpg
Include images/README.md with licensing information and source citations

Markdown Integration

Place image references at END of relevant section, never interrupting prose flow
Format: ![Figure: Work Title, Location, Date](../images/[path]) with caption following
Caption format: “Figure [number]: [Work Title], [Artist], [Date], [Current Location]. [Medium and dimensions]. [Photo credit/source].”

Example:

![Figure: Maestà, Palazzo del Popolo](../images/Lippo-Memmi/Maesta-San-Gimignano.jpg)
  
**Figure 1**: Maestà, Lippo Memmi (signed 1317), Sala di Dante, Palazzo del Popolo, San Gimignano. Fresco. Photo: Scala/Art Resource, NY.

Copyright and Attribution Requirements

Every image requires documented copyright status or public domain verification
Museum/institutional photo credits mandatory even for PD works
Maintain images/LICENSE.md listing every image source and copyright status
Prefer photographs from Wikimedia Commons, Artstor (if licensed), or institutional open access collections
When in doubt about copyright, do not include the image—detailed prose description is preferable to legal risk

Alternative to Images: Enhanced Descriptions Given the current text-only approach, compensate through:

Precise spatial descriptions (“upper left quadrant,” “central register,” “right terminal of cross”)
Color terminology (“ultramarine blue mantle,” “vermilion accents,” “burnished gold ground”)
Compositional analysis (“figures arranged in strict isocephaly,” “pyramidal composition,” “axial symmetry”)
Comparative references (“following the Sienese convention of…,” “departing from Giotto’s approach in…”)
Viewer positioning (“visible to congregations in the nave,” “at eye level for medieval observers”)

Technical Specifications (If Implemented)

Format: JPEG for photographs, PNG for diagrams/line art
Resolution: 1200px longest dimension (sufficient for screen viewing, not print reproduction)
Compression: Balance quality vs. file size (target <500KB per image)
Color space: sRGB for web compatibility
Metadata: Embed EXIF copyright and creator information

When Adding Images, Update:

Project documentation (MinDatabase - AI Agent Instructions.md) noting transition from text-only to illustrated
.gitattributes to handle binary files appropriately
images/.gitignore if excluding high-resolution originals
Citation style guide to include figure reference conventions

Embedded Video/Audio: Not Recommended

Repository designed for static, archival scholarly content
Multimedia files increase repository size exponentially
Hosting platforms (YouTube, Vimeo) more appropriate for video content
If video demonstrations needed (e.g., fresco technique explanations), link to external hosted content rather than embedding

Technical Tools

add_sections.py: Python utility script for inserting section headings into markdown files
- Located in: Content/Artists/XIII century/add_sections.py
- Usage: python3 add_sections.py "Artist Name.md" [--dry-run]
- Configuration: Edit REPLACEMENTS dictionary in script to define exact text patterns for each file
- Pattern: Uses exact string matching to find paragraph boundaries and insert ## Section Title markers
- Workflow: Add replacement patterns to REPLACEMENTS dict → run with –dry-run to preview → run without flag to apply
- Important: Modifies files in-place; review generated structure for accuracy before committing
- Example: Script detects “early fourteenth-century Italy.\n\nGiotto’s reputation drew” and inserts section heading between paragraphs

add_sections.py - Section Heading Insertion Utility

Purpose: Automates insertion of ## Section Title headings into flowing prose that lacks formal structure.

Location: Content/Artists/XIII century/add_sections.py

Command-Line Usage:

# Navigate to the script directory first
cd Content/Artists/XIII\ century/

# Preview changes without modifying file (recommended first step)
python3 add_sections.py "../XIII-XIV century/Giotto di Bondone.md" --dry-run

# Apply changes to file (modifies in-place)
python3 add_sections.py "Coppo di Marcovaldo.md"

# Process file with workspace-relative path
python3 add_sections.py "Content/Artists/XIII-XIV century/Simone Martini.md"

Configuration: Edit the REPLACEMENTS dictionary within the script before running:

REPLACEMENTS = {
    "Giotto di Bondone.md": [
        ("early fourteenth-century Italy.\n\nGiotto's reputation drew", 
         "early fourteenth-century Italy.\n\n## Patrons and Commissions\n\nGiotto's reputation drew"),
        # Add more replacement tuples...
    ],
}

Pattern: Uses exact string matching to find paragraph boundaries (double newlines) and insert section headings. Include sufficient context (typically full sentences before/after break point) to ensure unique matches.

Workflow:

Read target artist file to identify natural section breaks in flowing prose
Edit REPLACEMENTS dictionary with exact text matches for that specific file
Run with --dry-run to preview changes
Review output carefully—script is structural aid, not semantic analyzer
Run without --dry-run to apply changes (modifies file in-place)
Commit script changes separately from content changes
Verify section accuracy by reading modified file; adjust manually if needed

Important Limitations:

Requires manual identification of section boundaries
String matching must be exact (whitespace, punctuation, spelling)
Cannot detect semantic meaning—may insert headings at inappropriate breaks
Works best for prose already organized logically but lacking explicit markers
Each target file requires custom REPLACEMENTS configuration

Common Content Patterns by Section

Early Life and Family: Establish father’s profession/reputation → family’s social standing → training environment → sibling/dynastic context. Example: “Memmo di Filippuccio was born into a specialised artisan family in Siena, the son of the goldsmith Filippuccio…”

Patrons and Commissions: Lead with most prestigious patron → detail specific commissions with dates → describe negotiation/collaboration → financial arrangements → list secondary patrons (ecclesiastical, civic, private). Each patron gets dedicated paragraph(s).

Artistic Style (painters/sculptors): Identify foundational influences (e.g., “Maniera Greca”) → describe technical evolution → cite specific works as evidence → emphasize synthesis of traditions. Use comparative analysis: “unlike Wiligelmo’s more archaic style” vs. “inheriting Duccio’s lyrical line.”

Major Works: Each masterpiece gets dedicated paragraph with location, date (c. 1303–1310), historical context, technical details, and iconographic analysis. Structure: Opening hook → visual description → technique/materials → interpretation → legacy/influence.

Travels and Career: Trace geographic movement as career progression, not random movement. Connect travel to patronage opportunities and stylistic development: “The journey from Campione d’Italia to Provence exposed him to Provençal sculpture, fundamentally shaping his compositional approach.”

Handling Misattributions and Historiographical Confusion

Early art historical sources (Vasari, Ghiberti, medieval chronicles) frequently conflate artists, confuse family relationships, or misidentify works. When addressing such errors:

Acknowledge the confusion transparently: “Early chroniclers like Vasari famously confused the relationships, sometimes conflating Lippo and Memmo or misidentifying their connection to Simone Martini.”
Document the correction through archival evidence: Ground corrections in specific payment records, contract dates, or stylistic analysis rather than dismissing older sources outright
Explain why confusion arose: Was it generational proximity? Shared workshop practices? Family name ambiguity (e.g., “Memmi” as patronymic)?
Preserve the historiographical narrative: Show how modern scholarship disentangled the confusion; this demonstrates the evolution of art historical knowledge
Cross-check against multiple existing files: If clarifying Lippo’s relationship to Memmo, verify consistency across entries for Memmo, Lippo, and Simone Martini

Example pattern: “It has taken modern archival research to disentangle Memmo di Filippuccio’s individual contributions from the collective output of his ‘bottega’. We now recognise Memmo not merely as ‘Lippo’s father’ but as a pivotal figure…”

Documenting Lesser-Studied Artists with Fragmentary Evidence

When archival documentation is sparse or artistic output is fragmentary, employ these strategies:

Lead with documented facts, however minimal: Establish what is certain (a single payment record, one surviving work, association with a major patron) before addressing gaps
Use institutional connections as scaffolding: If individual biography is obscure, reconstruct activity through the patron’s records. Example: “The cathedral chapter’s financial records document payments to ‘Maestro X’ for specific tasks, though personal details remain elusive.”
Contextualize through workshop networks: Discuss the artist in relation to documented masters and patrons who employed them. Stylistic analysis of surviving works can infer training lineage
Distinguish documented vs. inferred relationships: Use phrases like “likely trained,” “probably worked,” “possibly influenced” to signal levels of certainty
Highlight what we don’t know: “The date of birth remains unknown, though guild records suggest activity beginning circa 1290.”
Compare fragmentary output to documented contemporaries: If few works survive, analyze them against established stylistic evolutions (e.g., Byzantine → Proto-Renaissance transition) to establish chronological placement
Proportionality: Lesser-known masters receive 1000–2000 words; focus on quality of available evidence rather than padding with speculation

Example opening: “Maestro di Sant’Alò remains among the most elusive masters of the Trecento, known through a single documented commission and two or three surviving works that exhibit stylistic characteristics suggesting training within the Sienese tradition…” This immediately signals both the evidence limit and the analytical framework.

Practical Examples

Example 1: Adding a New Artist Entry

Task: Create entry for “Lippo Memmi” (son of Memmo di Filippuccio, mentioned in 3+ existing articles)

Workflow:

Create Content/Artists/XIV century/Lippo Memmi.md
Research cross-references: Read Memmo di Filippuccio.md, Simone Martini.md for documented relationships
Write sections in order: Early Life (“son of Memmo, trained under father’s supervision”) → Patrons (San Gimignano commissions) → Artistic Style (Gothic sophistication, collaboration with Simone Martini) → etc.
Commit incrementally: "Add Early Life section to Lippo Memmi" → "Add Patrons section to Lippo Memmi" → etc.
Update cross-references: Add mentions in Memmo and Simone Martini files: "His son Lippo Memmi later collaborated with Simone Martini..."
Final commit: "Update cross-references: Memmo ↔ Lippo Memmi ↔ Simone Martini"

Before (Memmo di Filippuccio.md - insufficient detail):

Memmo's son Lippo became a painter.

After (Memmo di Filippuccio.md - scholarly richness):

Lippo Memmi, the elder and more famous of the two sons, was trained directly under 
Memmo's supervision, inheriting his father's linear elegance while eventually surpassing 
him in fame through his association with Simone Martini. The training Memmo provided to 
his sons was comprehensive, encompassing both the monumental fresco techniques he mastered 
at Assisi and the delicate miniature work of the Sienese tradition. In 1317, the Commune 
of San Gimignano recorded a payment to "Memmo pittore e Lippo suo figliuolo" for the 
painting in the Council Hall, indicating that while Memmo was the legal contractor, Lippo 
was the primary executant.

Example 2: Using add_sections.py to Structure Flowing Prose

Task: Artist file exists as continuous prose without section headings

Workflow:

Read file to identify natural section breaks:
- “Born in Siena…” (Early Life paragraph) → “The Commune of San Gimignano commissioned…” (Patrons paragraph)

Edit Content/Artists/XIII century/add_sections.py REPLACEMENTS dictionary:

REPLACEMENTS = {
 "New Artist.md": [
     ("goldsmith father.\n\nThe Commune of San Gimignano commissioned",
      "goldsmith father.\n\n## Patrons and Commissions\n\nThe Commune of San Gimignano commissioned"),
 ],
}

Run script:

cd Content/Artists/XIII\ century/
python3 add_sections.py "New Artist.md" --dry-run  # Preview
python3 add_sections.py "New Artist.md"            # Apply

If the target file is outside the XIII century folder, pass a relative path (e.g., ../XIV century/New Artist.md).

Review output, manually adjust if section placement incorrect
Commit: "Add section headings to New Artist"

Example 3: Cross-Referencing Church and Artist Entries

Task: Document Giotto’s work at Assisi in both his artist file and a church essay

In Giotto di Bondone.md (Travels section):

A critical chapter in his itinerary was the sojourn to Assisi, the epicentre of modern 
Italian painting at the turn of the century. Travelling to Umbria to work at the Basilica 
of San Francesco was a rite of passage for ambitious artists of his generation. In Assisi, 
he lived and worked in the scaffolding of the Upper Church, executing the revolutionary 
fresco cycles (c. 1290-1295) that demonstrated his mastery of spatial naturalism and 
narrative clarity.

In a church essay file (e.g., Content/Churches/[Church Name].md) (Artists section):

Giotto di Bondone executed the Upper Church frescoes circa 1290-1295, though attribution 
remains debated between Giotto and the anonymous Maestro delle Storie di Isacco. Payment 
records confirm Franciscan patronage, and the revolutionary spatial treatment—volumetric 
figures occupying convincing architectural settings—marks a decisive break from Byzantine 
flatness. The workshop organization at Assisi exposed Giotto to Roman, Florentine, and 
Umbrian traditions simultaneously, an international environment that accelerated his 
stylistic evolution.

Example 4: Handling Misattributions and Historiographical Complexity

Task: Correct common confusion between Lippo Memmi and Memmo di Filippuccio

Before (overly simplified):

Lippo Memmi painted the Maestà in San Gimignano.

After (acknowledges historiographical complexity):

Although signed by his son Lippo Memmi, documents prove the 1317 Maestà was a joint 
commission paid to "Memmo and Lippo," representing the culmination of Memmo's civic 
career. Early chroniclers like Vasari famously confused the relationships, sometimes 
conflating Lippo and Memmo or misidentifying their connection to Simone Martini. Modern 
archival research has disentangled their individual contributions: Memmo's hand appears 
most evident in the underlying compositional structure and spatial logic, while Lippo's 
contribution emerges in the delicacy of ornamental details and the refinement of facial 
features. The fact that Lippo alone signed the work may indicate that the primary 
executant for the visible surface was the younger artist, while Memmo retained 
intellectual control over the conception.

When in Doubt

Consult the structural patterns in existing files (especially Memmo di Filippuccio.md and Giotto di Bondone.md)
Prioritize historical accuracy and nuance over editing brevity
Ask: “Does this change serve the reader’s understanding of medieval Italian art history?”

Repository Structure

MinDatabase/
├── MinDatabase - AI Agent Instructions.md  # This file - AI agent guidance
├── Content/
│   ├── Artists/
│   │   ├── VII century/
│   │   ├── VIII century/
│   │   ├── X century/
│   │   ├── XI century/
│   │   ├── XII century/
│   │   ├── XIII century/
│   │   │   ├── add_sections.py    # Section heading insertion utility
│   │   │   └── [Artist Name].md
│   │   ├── XIII-XIV century/
│   │   └── XIV century/
│   ├── Churches/
│   │   └── [Church Name].md       # Church/institutional essays
│   ├── Codex/
│   │   └── [Historical Document].md  # Historical documents
│   ├── Papirer/
│   │   └── [Work or Paper].md     # Artwork or paper studies
│   └── prompts/
│       └── plan-minDatabase.prompt.md
├── .gitignore                     # Excludes .DS_Store, Python cache, etc.
└── .vscode/                       # VS Code workspace settings

Workspace Maintenance Notes

Ignore system files: .DS_Store (macOS) is already in .gitignore to prevent accidental commits
Python script modifications: When updating add_sections.py, configuration should be changed to target file before running
Commit discipline: Follow incremental commit workflow (see “Commit and Versioning Workflow” section) rather than batch commits

MinDatabase - AI Agent Instructions

What This Project Is

Essential Quick Reference

Critical Conventions (These Differ from Generic Patterns)

Art Historical Specifics (Codebase-Specific Knowledge)

File Organization & Naming Conventions

Choosing the Correct Century Folder

Content Structure for New Artists

Technical Patterns: Python Utility add_sections.py

Commit Discipline

Common Content Patterns (Reference Examples)

Project Overview

Core Architecture & Content Patterns

File Structure

Standard Artist Article Structure

Standard Church/Institutional Essay Structure

Writing Style & Conventions

Key Project Workflows

Commit and Versioning Workflow

Content Additions & Maintenance

Content Priority Criteria for New Artists

Critical Decision: Human-Centric Design

Content Cross-References & Interconnections

Artist Network Map (partial)

Priority Artist Additions (Heavily Cross-Referenced but Missing)

Patronage & Geographic Hubs

Stylistic Evolution Tracked

Cross-Reference Patterns: Churches ↔ Artists

Guidelines for Content Modifications

File Naming and Organization Conventions

Artist File Naming

Non-Artist Files

Organization Principles

File Format Notes

Footnote Conventions

Inline reference (in body text)

Definition block (end of file)

Numbering rules

Media and Image Guidelines

Current State: Text-Only Repository

Image Integration Policy (If Future Implementation)

Embedded Video/Audio: Not Recommended

Technical Tools

add_sections.py - Section Heading Insertion Utility

Common Content Patterns by Section

Handling Misattributions and Historiographical Confusion

Documenting Lesser-Studied Artists with Fragmentary Evidence

Practical Examples

Example 1: Adding a New Artist Entry

Example 2: Using add_sections.py to Structure Flowing Prose

Example 3: Cross-Referencing Church and Artist Entries

Example 4: Handling Misattributions and Historiographical Complexity

When in Doubt

Repository Structure

Workspace Maintenance Notes

Technical Patterns: Python Utility `add_sections.py`