Sunday, June 12, 2011

Brancacci Chapel, 2011

But the day was redeemed entirely when we made our way to the church of Santa Maria del Carmine and its Brancacci Chapel, one of the greatest sites of early Renaissance work, the frescoes of Masaccio (and his pal Masolino and much later Lippi). According to Vasari, every great Renaissance painter came to Brancacci to study what Masaccio had achieved. Masaccio traveled in the very fast company of Donatello and Brunelleschi, but died very young, at age 28. I seem to remember reading that Leonardo had said that the Renaissance had two fathers: Giotto and Masaccio. Or maybe it was Norman Rockwell that said that. Anyhow, it's all here, and all new: perspective, volume, realism, emotion, and great color.
Brancacci Chapel



















You can stand that close; and take photos!











Masolino's Temptation



















Masaccio's Expulsion



















Most of the Brancacci is about St. Peter: here, his Healing the
Son of Theophilus















St Peter healing by the power of his shadow
alone (it's a long story)




















Raising Tabitha from death















A detail from one of the Masoccio' frescoes: one of the most
reproduced of all Renaissance images















St. Peter condemned by the proconsul















One entire wall















The other

No comments: