Lionel’s love affair with Italy began in 1959 during his visit to Umbria and Tuscany as an architectural student. Other visits followed, during the course of his studies, including to Venice and Rome. His enthusiasm for Italian landscape, art and architecture has been further consummated in later years through working visits, in preparation for exhibitions of his paintings.

This book is a celebration of his travels and experiences throughout this hallowed land, where the physical beauty of the landscape is more than matched by the abundance of great works of art. These are evident in the remotest and poorest villages, as well as in the great Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque cities.

You are invited to join Lionel and his wife Anne (an artist specializing in cats) on a typical return journey from their home in Crediton, Devon, through France, Liguria, Piedmont,Tuscany, Umbria, Lazio, Campania, right down to Basilicata and Puglia in the heel of Italy.

Lionel draws attention to the similarities between the beautiful farmland of Mid Devon, referred to by Chef Christopher Archambault, as the ‘Tuscany of England’, and the man-managed landscape of both Umbria and Tuscany, which remain as depicted in Giotto’s frescoes.

Lionel’s interpretations of Puglia, Umbria,Tuscany and Venice are revealed with over 200 paintings and diary sketches. Many of the visits were made during spring, and therefore no apologies are made for the profusion and occasional riot of colour where fresh young greens contrast with vivid carpets of poppies and, later in the year, the vines themselves produce their sensational autumnal blaze.

ISBN 978 184114 606 5, hardback, 238x258mm, 160 pages. Published August 2007.

Lionel Aggett was born at Whiddon Down, on the edge of Dartmoor, and was educated at Exeter School.

He trained as an architect but in 1991, decided to change careers to take up full-time painting.

He enjoyed many successful exhibitions throughout the country and also wrote several books, all of which proved extremely popular.

He drew much of his inspiration from the rugged Dartmoor landscapes of his childhood as well as familiar scenes around Exeter and, later, Crediton, where he lived for more than 20 years.

After retiring early from his architect's practice in Exeter, he exhibited his pastel creations in top galleries, such as Llewellyn Alexander, in London, where he commanded more than £2,000 for an average-sized canvas.

He was regarded as one of Britain's most successful contemporary artists and his atmospheric landscapes of Italy, Spain and France earned him international acclaim.

But it was to Devon he always returned to find constant renewal in the inspiration of his home county.