page_title: Brancacci Chapel
section_title: The paintings
hierarchical_section_title: Brancacci Chapel / The paintings
caption_attribution_description: Schematics of the Brancacci Chapel with measures (in cm.), the individual frescoes, and the artists to whom they are attributed: Masaccio (Mc), Masolino (Ml) or Filippino (F). The frescoes on the upper level (in gray) have been painted over and can no longer be seen. The paintings on the upper left and right pier are somewhat shorter than the ones on the wall (260/220), while between the two bands of frescoes there is a ornamental strip (15).
context_page_description: The Brancacci Chapel is a chapel in the Church of Santa Maria del Carmine in Florence, central Italy. It is sometimes called the "Sistine Chapel of the early Renaissance" for its painting cycle, among the most famous and influential of the period. Construction of the chapel was commissioned by Felice Brancacci and begun in 1422. The paintings were executed over the years 1425 to 1427. Public access is currently gained via the neighbouring convent, designed by Brunelleschi. The church and the chapel are treated as separate places to visit and as such have different opening times and it is quite difficult to see the rest of the church from the chapel.
  The patron of the pictorial decoration was Felice Brancacci, descendant of Pietro, who had served as the Florentine ambassador to Cairo until 1423. Upon his return to Florence, he hired Masolino da Panicale to paint his chapel. Masolino's associate, 21-year-old Masaccio, 18 years younger than Masolino, assisted, but during painting Masolino left to Hungary, where he was painter to the king, and the commission was given to Masaccio. By the time Masolino returned he was learning from his talented former student.
context_section_description: In his frescos, Masaccio carries out a radical break from the medieval pictorial tradition, by adhering to the new Renaissance perspectival conception of space. Thus, perspective and light create deep spaces where volumetrically constructed figures move in a strongly individualised human dimension. Masaccio therefore continues on Giotto's path, detaching himself from a symbolic vision of man and propounding a greater realistic painting. The cycle from the life of Saint Peter was commissioned as patron saint from Pietro Brancacci, the original owner of the chapel.
  The paintings are explained below in their narrative order.
caption: Schematics of the Brancacci Chapel paintings.
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