One of the most famous fresco cycle of the early Renaissance;painted by Masolino da Panicale:its scenes cover entirely the walls of the Baptistery annexed to the Collegiate Church of Castiglione Olona;that was also decorated by Masolino;assisted by Lorenzo di Pietro called il Vecchietta and by Paolo Schiavo.The religious complex was ordered by Cardinal Branda Castiglioni;who;at the beginning of the 15th century;made Castiglione Olona;following the famous definition of the Italian poet Gabriele D'Annunzio;"the Tuscan island in Lombardy".
Masolino's refined frescoes;with their balance of landscapes and architectures;religious history and 15th century fashion;blended through the painter's peculiar luminous atmosphere;witness the transition between International Gothic and Renaissance;thus offering an extremely suggestive account of one of the most relevant periods of Italian art history.
Guided tours and off-hour openings available.