Masaccio creates a cycle of frescoes in the Brancacci Chapel. Brancacci Chapel in the Church of Santa Maria del Carmine in Florence

The Brancacci Chapel is a chapel in the Church of Santa Maria del Carmine, which is located in Florence. This chapel is widely known for its beautiful frescoes on biblical themes written in artistic style early renaissance. About this unique chapel, its history and famous frescoes will be discussed in this essay.

History of the chapel

The Church of St. Maria del Carmine, which houses the Brancacci Chapel, does not have a luxurious façade, like many churches in Florence. However, a real pearl is hidden inside it. The history of its appearance dates back to 1367, when Piero Brancacci ordered the creation of a family chapel in the Carmine temple, which had been under construction since 1268. Later, the created masterpiece became not only a family chapel, but also played a big role in the life of Florentine society, which was very devout. It contained the most famous and especially revered by the Florentines icon “St. Madonna del Popolo", which was painted in early XIII century.

The frescoes of the Brancacci Chapel owe their appearance to Felice Brancacci. Felice was a descendant of the founder of the chapel and was a fairly influential statesman in Florence. In addition, he was a rival of Cosimo de' Medici (the Elder), who was also involved in politics.

Brancacci around 1422 ordered artists Masaccio and Masolino to make frescoes in his family chapel in the Church of Carmine. The chapel was located in the right transept (cross nave) of the church.

In 1423, Masolino began work and carried out the first stage artistic painting. He created frescoes of lunettes (part of the wall, bounded by a semicircle), which, unfortunately, have not survived to this day. He also painted the vault of the Brancacci Chapel, and after that he left Florence.

Continuation of painting

In mid-1427 Masolino returned and resumed his work on the chapel. It is assumed that his partner Masaccio, during Masolino’s absence, was engaged in painting the chapel, however, there is no documentary evidence of this version.

However, in 1436 he returned from a three-year exile, and the painting of the chapel Brancacci Masaccio and Masolino was interrupted. The customer himself, Cosimo Medici, was imprisoned in 1735 near the city of Kapodistrias (Slovenia) for a 10-year term. In addition, Felice Brancacci was declared a rebel, and therefore all his property was confiscated.

Shutdown

Only in 1480 did the artist continue painting the fresco of the Brancacci Chapel; Masaccio and Masolino no longer worked on it. Thanks to Lippi’s painstaking work on the frescoes, it was possible to preserve the style of the previous masters. There is a legend that Lippi wanted to become an artist after he saw the frescoes in this chapel as a child.

The chapel was owned by the Brancacci family for more than 400 years, until August 1780, when the influential Marquis Ricordi entered into an agreement to buy out the chapel's patronage. The frescoes were restored several times, the first restoration took place in the 18th century. In 1771, there was a fire in the church and the frescoes were damaged by soot. However, restorers managed to restore the medieval masterpiece.

In the middle and end of the 20th century, the last large-scale restoration work, which affected not only the frescoes, but also the architecture of the Brancacci Chapel. The biforium (lancet double-leaf window), which was located behind the altar, was reconstructed, and the entrance leading to the chapel was converted from an arrow-shaped one to a semicircular one. According to eyewitnesses, the chapel and the church itself were previously closer to gothic style.

Description of the frescoes

The theme of the frescoes, at the request of the customer, mainly concerned the life of the Apostle Peter, as well as original sin. The frescoes are on the back and side walls of the chapel in two rows, the third row has been lost. Under the frescoes there is a panel that imitates marble cladding.

To date, 12 scenes have been preserved, half of which were created by Masaccio almost entirely or with the help of Masolino. The series of frescoes begins with “The Fall,” followed by “Expulsion from Paradise.” The series continues with the fresco “Miracle with the Satyr” (on which, presumably, the artists depicted their customer), then there are works called:

"Peter's Sermon to 3 Thousand";
“Peter’s Baptism of Neophytes”;
“Peter’s Healing of a Cripple”;
"Resurrection of Tafiwa";
"The Resurrection of the Son of Theophilus";
“The Crucifixion of Peter and the dispute between Peter and Simon Magus”;

“Peter healing the sick with his shadow”;
“Peter distributing the property of the community among the poor”;
“An angel frees Peter from prison”;
"Paul Visits Peter in Prison."

The painting was done in a very realistic style for that time. The frescoes of the Brancacci Chapel in Florence were among the first such pictorial innovations. They literally shocked people who had never seen anything like this before.

Sample style

It is important to note that the frescoes of the Brancacci Chapel are a masterpiece of Renaissance painting. They are distinguished by the clarity and precision of the lines, the special realism of the characters and the conveyance of their mood and character. Masaccio's life was very short, he lived only 27 years, and this work became the main thing for him.

These frescoes, thanks to the applied new technology images, namely aerial and linear perspective, instantly turned out to be an object to follow. They began to be called the basis (foundation) for all Renaissance painting.

It is believed that these frescoes served as a guide for most of the great artists and sculptors of that time. For example, such masters as Leonardo da Vinci, Sandro Botticelli, Michelangelo Buanarrotti and Raphael of Urbino adopted artistic experience, which they later used in their brilliant works.

The frescoes in the Brancacci Chapel are a true artistic masterpiece of the Renaissance, which has been preserved to this day. If you come to Florence, after visiting its many attractions, be sure to stop by this chapel. You will be amazed by the beauty and energy of this unique place.

The Brancacci Chapel is a chapel in the Church of Santa Maria del Carmine in Florence, famous for its early Renaissance wall paintings.

Masaccio's frescoes in the Brancacci Chapel revolutionized European fine arts and predetermined the vector of its development for several centuries to come.

History of creation

In 1367, Piero di Puvicese Brancacci ordered the construction of a family chapel in the church of Santa Maria del Carmine, which was still under construction. For four hundred years, the chapel belonged to the Brancacci family. Its most famous patron was the outstanding statesman Felice de Michele Brancacci.

In 1422, Brancacci commissioned the painting of the chapel famous master that time Masolino da Panicale and the still little-known young man Masaccio. The theme for the frescoes, namely original sin and the preaching of St. Peter, was indicated by Brancacci himself. The choice of artists turned out to be so successful that the name Brancacci was forever associated with highest achievements in the art of Italy.

Masolino and Masaccio set to work, dividing between themselves various episodes from the life of St. Peter. However, it soon became clear that The styles of Masaccio and Masolino are completely different.

Yes, the fresco Expulsion of Adam and Eve from Paradise” amazes with its strength and acuteness of feelings that Masaccio put into it. If Masolino wrote Adam and Eve with maximum gentleness, then in Masaccio they express endless despair: Adam, covering his face with his hands, and Eve sobbing, with her mouth distorted from screaming.

In 1436, Brancacci was declared an enemy of the state. Work in the chapel is completely suspended.

Half a century later the cycle of frescoes was completed talented master– Filippino Lippi, who can safely be called the spiritual successor of Masaccio. The frescoes finally received their well-deserved recognition.

In 1171, a serious fire occurred in the church of Santa Maria del Carmine, which destroyed almost all of its furnishings. But, fortunately, the chapel was not damaged.

Artistic merits

Masaccio's frescoes in the Brancacci Chapel are considered a masterpiece renaissance painting, they are distinguished by the clarity of lines, life-like concreteness in the depiction of characters and the ability to penetrate into the characters of the persons depicted.

In addition, the great Masaccio lived only 27 years, and it was this cycle that remained his main work.

An important advantage of Masaccio's work was that he drew Special attention on the reliable anatomy of his characters, applying the knowledge he received from antique sculpture- so his people appear to have real, massive bodies.

In addition, he places his frescoes in a real architectural setting, paying attention to the location of the window in the chapel, and painting objects as if they were illuminated from this light source.

Therefore, they appear three-dimensional: this volume is conveyed through powerful cut-off modeling. In addition, the people are scaled against the landscape background, which is also painted with light in mind. aerial perspective.

The main theme of the frescoes, as recommended by the customer, was the life of the Apostle Peter and original sin. The frescoes are located in two rows along the side and rear walls of the chapel (the third row of lunettes has been lost). At the bottom there is a panel imitating marble cladding.

Michelino da Besozzo "The Betrothal of St. Catherine"

This is a painting, also from the 1420s, an example of the style international gothic, in comparison with which the realism of the frescoes in the Brancacci Chapel was a real shock.

Scenes of Masaccio

A total of twelve scenes have survived, six of which were entirely, or almost entirely, written by Masaccio.

"The Fall" of Adam and Eve
"Expulsion from Paradise"
"The Miracle of the Stater"
"Peter's Sermon to the Three Thousand"
"Peter's Baptism of Neophytes"
"Peter's Healing of a Cripple"
"Resurrection of Tabitha"
"Paul Visits Peter in Prison"
"The Resurrection of the Son of Theophilus"
"Peter healing the sick with his shadow"
"Peter distributing the property of the community among the poor"
"The Crucifixion of Peter and the dispute between Peter and Simon Magus"
"An angel frees Peter from prison."

The Brancacci Chapel (Italian: Cappella Brancacci) is a chapel in the church of Santa Maria del Carmine in Florence, famous for its early Renaissance wall paintings. Masaccio's frescoes in the Brancacci Chapel revolutionized European fine art and predetermined the vector of its development for several centuries to come.

On February 20, 1367, Piero di Puvicese Brancacci ordered the construction of a family chapel in the Church of Carmine, which had been under construction since 1268. Subsequently, the Brancacci Chapel became not just a private family chapel, it played a significant role in public life Florence: it housed the famous 13th century icon “Madonna del Popolo”, former subject public worship (trophies of the Pisan War were hung in front of her). Therefore, as V.N. writes Lazarev, and the painting that decorated the chapel contained a number of unambiguous allusions to the social events of that time. This room owes its famous fresco cycle to a descendant of the founder of the chapel, a rival of Cosimo the Elder Medici, an influential statesman Felice Brancacci (Italian: Felice Brancacci; 1382-ca. 1450), who around 1422 commissioned Masolino and Masaccio to paint the chapel located in the right transept of the church (exact documented dates of work on the frescoes have not survived). It is known that Felice Brancacci returned from the embassy in Cairo on February 15, 1423, and shortly thereafter hired Masolino. He completed the first stage of painting: he painted the now lost frescoes of the lunettes and the vault, and then the artist left for Hungary. It is not known exactly when the second stage of painting began - Masolino returned from Hungary only in July 1427, but perhaps his work partner Masaccio began work even before his return, in the 1st half. 1420s Work on the frescoes was interrupted in 1436 after the return of Cosimo the Elder from exile. Felice Brancacci was imprisoned by him in 1435 for ten years in prison in Kapodistrias, after which in 1458 he was also declared a rebel with the confiscation of all property. The painting of the chapel was completed only half a century later, in the third stage, in 1480, by the artist Filippino Lippi, who managed to preserve stylistic features the manners of their predecessors, painstakingly copying. (Moreover, according to contemporaries, he himself wanted to become an artist as a child after seeing the frescoes in this chapel). The chapel belonged to the Brancacci family for more than four hundred years - until August 18, 1780, when the Marchese of Ricordi signed an agreement to buy out the patronage for 2,000 scudi. In the 18th century, the frescoes were restored several times, and in 1771 they were badly damaged by the soot of a large fire. Restorations were carried out at the beginning of the 20th century and in the 40-50s. In 1988, the final large-scale restoration and clearing work was carried out. As Lazarev points out, the restoration of the 18th century affected not only the painting, but also the architecture of the room: the double-leaf lancet window (biforium), under which the altar was located and which reached to the very top, was...

Nicholas Eckstein. Painted Glories: the Brancacci Chapel in Renaissance Florence. Yale University Press. 288 p. £40 (hardcover). On English language

Frescoes of the Brancacci Chapel in the Church of Santa Maria del Carmine in Florence, begun Masolino, which he then joined Masaccio, and many years later completed Filippino Lippi, played very well important role in the formation of innovative painting of the Early Renaissance.

So far, no documents have been discovered regarding their order and creation process. Since 1990, when a restoration project rich in discoveries was completed, our knowledge of the program of the painting cycle, its in a general sense and what roles Masolino and Masaccio played in the creation of the frescoes were doubled.

This is the general background of the creation of the book. Painted Glories: the Bran-cacci Cha-pel in Renais-sance Florence. In 2003, its author Nicholas Eckstein organized a symposium dedicated to the chapel, and then compiled a book from its materials, equipped with an introductory article, and published it in 2007. In his next book, Eckstein, based on new archival materials, tried to “recreate how the inhabitants of Florence at that time perceived, understood and used the chapel.” Reconstructing these sentiments is not an easy task, given their subjectivity and fragility. But Eckstein, an experienced historian specializing in the socio-economic and religious relations of 15th-century Florence, carefully studied the city's archives. The parish of Santa Maria del Carmine united many secular confraternities, some of which provided assistance to the poor residents of the Oltrarno area. This activity is reflected in the scene of the apostle distributing Petro m of property for the poor, which Masaccio depicted on the altar wall of the Brancacci Chapel. Another feature of the “sacred space” of the Carmelite church was the construction of a group of private chapels, the analysis of which is presented to us by the author.

At the time when Masaccio and Masolino were painting, the Brancacci Chapel belonged to Felice Brancacci(1382-1447), an influential silk merchant and well-connected statesman. The death of Masaccio in 1428 and the expulsion of Brancacci from Florence ten years later suspended work on the cycle. Perhaps the funds for its completion have already been exhausted or have gone into the treasury of the authorities. The chapel, its decoration and program were “a cultural product that was in active dialogue with its immediate environment, constantly transforming as its purposes and uses changed.” With change historical conditions there was a need to finish what had already become an important point on the city map. The reason for this was the victory of Florence in the Battle of Anghiari on June 29, 1440. It was attributed to the direct intervention of St. Peter, on the day of whose commemoration (together with St. Pavel) there was a fight. This is how the status of the frescoes of the Brancacci Chapel grew - one of the most important images of the Apostle Peter that have come down to us. The authority of the Carmelite Order also strengthened.

New funding for the project was found in subsequent years. One of the sources was a will Antonia Velluti de Mezzola 1479. The other, according to Eckstein's hypothesis, was a will written in 1469 by Fra. Giovanni di Giovanni, who a year later became abbot of the monastery. In the concluding chapter, the author notes that over time Lorenzo de' Medici gave Santa Maria del Carmine more and more support; besides, it was he who could play decisive role in the choice of the artist under his patronage, Filippino Lippi, who was commissioned to complete the frescoes. Eckstein suggests that the Carmelite brotherhood could have turned to another patron of Lippi for financial support - Piero del Pugliese, whose family, living in Oltrarno, had recently occupied a prominent position in the city.

The chapel contains one of the most inspired and beautiful in all Western European art cycles of frescoes, on which Masaccio worked with the participation of Masolino from 1425 to 1428. Half a century later, work on the frescoes was completed by Filippino Lippi. Recent restoration work (1984-1988) made it possible to remove all later layers and made it possible to restore the original proportions, where form, color and light merge together in perfect harmony.

In 1425, the then famous master Masolino received an order from the wealthy Florentine Brancacci to paint the Brancacci family chapel in the church of Santa Maria del Carmine. A little later, another artist joined the mature Masolino, just a boy, with long name, which few people knew, because even his closest friends simply called him Masaccio, which translated means “mud.”

The two artists divided among themselves various episodes from the life of St. Peter, namely, the cycle of frescoes was to be dedicated to him, and began to work. It soon became clear that Mazila’s creations had nothing in common with traditional style Masolino do not have. Masaccio was essentially the first who, using linear and aerial perspective, managed to construct a surprisingly real space, place powerful figures of characters in it, truthfully depict their movements, poses, gestures, and then connect the scale and color of the figures with a natural or architectural background.

When I first saw the fresco “The Expulsion of Adam and Eve from Paradise,” it seemed to me that in front of me was a creation not of the beginning of the Quattrocento, but of the 19th century - Masaccio was so ahead of his time in expressing the strength and acuity of feeling. If in Masolino, on the other side of the chapel, Adam and Eve are depicted softly and sweetly, in Masaccio they are immersed in boundless despair: Adam, covering his face with his hands, and sobbing Eve, with sunken eyes and a dark hole in a mouth distorted by a scream.

If Giotto served as a harbinger of the Renaissance, then Masaccio, one might say, discovered the Renaissance in painting.

One autumn Roman day in 1428, Masaccio left his house and went to his workshop. He was 27 years old. No one ever saw him again.

1099 First Crusade. The knight, originally from Florence, is the first to climb over the Jerusalem wall, for which he receives from the grateful Godfrey of Bouillon two pieces of flint from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The knight brings the relic home, to the joy and pride of the Florentines, who will preserve the stones to this day. The knight's name is Pazzino Pazzi ("Pazzi" means "crazy").

1478 The Rise of the Renaissance. Almost all of it greatest masters have already been born: Raphael, Michelangelo and Giorgione are still children, but Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Filippino Lippi are already in full swing. But they are not the main ones characters life of Florence, then the main city of the world. And two brothers who are going to Easter Mass: the younger - a handsome man, a knight, a football player and a ladies' man (rumor has it that Simonetta Cattaneo, Spring and Venus of Sandro Botticelli, is his lover) - Giuliano, and the elder - a politician, poet, lutenist, philanthropist - Lorenzo. Their last name is Medici.

They have ruled this city for almost 10 years, they made it a city of constant holidays and entertainment, a city of music and poetry, an island of antiquity in the world of the Middle Ages. And only big-nosed Savonarola, seeing this, constantly grumbles, but Lorenzo the Friar like.

The brothers do not know that they recently escaped death. Twice they were invited to dinner with the intention of poisoning them, but unexpected illness Giuliano confused the cards for the conspirators. On the way they are joined by Cardinal Raffaello Riario. He puts his arm around Giuliano's shoulders and checks for armor. No armor.

The chariot of history stops at a fork in two roads. On one of the roads it is written “Medici”, on the other - “Pazzi”, and they are the conspirators, representatives of the famous banking house and the second most influential family in Florence. It's hard to say why the Pazzi couldn't wait a couple more years. Lorenzo Medici It’s not for nothing that they call it Magnificent, but magnificence is worth big money. As Machiavelli writes, Renato Pazzi even suggested that instead of a conspiracy, simply lending money to the Medici at a high interest rate. But the proposal did not go through - the instigator of the assassination attempt, Pope Sixtus IV, did not have time to wait.

But let's get back to the mass. The brothers are being pushed away from each other. Francesco Pazzi strikes Giuliano with his dagger with such fury that he manages to wound himself at the same time. Giuliano is dead, later counted with 19 wounds. Lorenzo, wounded in the neck, is lucky: Angelo Poliziano, who quickly realized what was going on, manages to push Lorenzo into the nearest chapel and push back the attackers with his sword.

After some time, Lorenzo appears on the balcony of his palace with his neck bandaged. The choice has been made. The chariot of history is gaining momentum along the Medici road. The procession of Pazzi supporters through the city shouting “Down with the tyrant” and “People and freedom” is met with a hail of stones. An attempt to seize the city administration building also ends in failure.

Well, then... Then everything was as usual. The townspeople got down to business zealously and with wild gusto: most of both the Pazzi themselves and their supporters, real and imaginary, were torn to pieces by them. In those days, boys played football with their heads, and their mothers made soup from the hearts and livers of “enemies of the people.” Those that did not go to the crowd were hung from the windows of the Palazzo Vecchio. Later, Dr. Annibal Lecter would do the same with Pazzi’s descendant. But this is in the book and in the movies. IN real life There were practically no Pazzi left, their property was confiscated, the coat of arms with dolphins was banned, Pazzi women were forbidden to marry under threat of being accused of rebellion. Only one Pazzi Chapel, a masterpiece of the brilliant Brunelleschi, has survived. We will talk about it later.

The opponent of the assassination attempt, Renato Pazzi, also died, but 17-year-old Cardinal Riario survived - first he went to prison, and then was sent back to Rome. But all this is another story, we are interested in the location of the Pazzi conspiracy - Cathedral cities. We'll talk about it in more detail.

At first, in its place there was another church, the Church of St. Reparata. Why exactly this saint, tortured in the 3rd century in Palestine, appeared to the commander Stilichus on the night before the decisive battle with the Goths in 405, science, as they say, is not known. But the Church of Reparat received Stilikh after the victory.

For more than half a thousand years, the church calmly defended itself, until, finally, the bright idea came to the dark Italian heads of the city authorities to build a new cathedral in its place, which with its beauty and grandeur was supposed to eclipse similar structures of the Tuscan rival cities.

According to the designers, the cathedral was supposed to accommodate the entire population of the city, which at that time amounted to no less than 90,000 people. They dedicated the "covered square" to St. Virgin Mary with a lily flower in her hand (Santa Maria del Fiore), and in 1294 construction work began. At one time they were even led by Giotto himself. He, however, quickly became distracted by the campanile, which, however, he also did not have time to finish.

From the old church of Reparata, destroyed in 1375, the new cathedral received simple lines and two bell towers, as well as an old name that refused to fade from the minds of the townspeople. This problem was solved the way similar problems are always solved: the city authorities introduced large fines for using the old name - and the new name was implemented. The façade of the cathedral remained unfinished and delighted the eye with statues of Donatello, until it, not Donatello, of course, at the direction of Francesco I de' Medici, was replaced with a painted canvas, after first placing his old slabs on a new floor. The canvas survived until the 19th century. And then Florence temporarily became the capital of Italy - and voluntarily and compulsorily acquired a façade, which everyone immediately disliked and continues to dislike to this day. Eh, I wish I could return that “unfinished” one...

The cathedral itself has retained its austere appearance to this day, although it has been decorated over the centuries with numerous works of art. We will focus on several of them in particular. Since the essence of the Renaissance was to learn to control reality, the doctrine of perspective played an important role. Masaccio introduced perspective into painting, which became one of the main events in the history of painting. His "Trinity" is written on the wall of the Duomo, but the skeleton of Adam, the first man, seems to lie in a recess under a stone ledge. There is also the inscription: “I was what you are, and I am what you will become.” And above the ledge - the crucified Christ hanging on the cross in real space, as if in the lateral limit. It's hard to believe that these are not three-dimensional forms, but only paintings.

Masaccio's teaching on perspective was developed in the works of another Renaissance genius, Paolo Uccello. The new activity absorbed Uccello completely, days and nights he drew something, came up with formulas... When his young wife reminded him that it was time to sleep, he, with difficulty tearing himself away from his work, exclaimed: “What a sweet thing - perspective.” . The wife, they say, was very offended.

It’s hard to say whether the Florentines were greedy or whether they really didn’t have money then, but equestrian statue to the famous condottiere John Hawkwood, who defended the city with a record for a long time, they decided to replace it with the corresponding fresco in the Duomo. Uccello was commissioned to complete the fresco. He did it: a huge monochrome (one-color) fresco depicts not a living person, but an equestrian statue of him, and not a simple one. The viewer looks at the lower pedestal from the bottom up, and at Hawkwood and the horse that lives on this very pedestal, from the top down. This is it three-dimensional image. Who says Cubism invented? In what century?

The avant-garde rarely meets the understanding of its contemporaries - and in this case it did not. There was a scandal. Miraculously, the fresco was not covered over. Lucky.

We will talk more about Uccello, this most mysterious genius of the Quattrocento, who was ahead of his time, if we still dare to go to the Uffizi Gallery (and once you go there, you won’t leave!), but for now let’s pay attention to the watch with a 24-hour dial, going in the wrong direction, the work of the same Uccello, who would doubt it. By the way, they are still going...