Heritage of Masaccio

Question 1

Annunciation by Fra Angelico

Answer 1

1438-45, San Marco, Florence

• Made for the Convent of San Marco
• Displayed in a staircase that mostly monks view making them the usual audience
• Most likely commissioned by Cosimo de Medici
• The window far in the back plays as the vanishing point of Angelico’s perspective lines
• Mary’s empty chamber is supposed to remind the viewer to keep their mind clean of sin

Question 2

Annunciation in a Cell by Fra Angelico

Answer 2

1438-45, San Marco, Florence

• Made for the Basilica of San Marco
• Most likely commissioned by Cosimo de Medici
• Aside from Mary and Gabriel, the third figure in the painting is St. Peter Martyr
• St. Peter Martyr was assassinated by Carino of Balsamo
• As seen in the painting, St. Peter is usually depicted with his head split open by a sword which is how he was assassinated

Question 3

Feast of Herod by Fillipo Lippi

Answer 3

1452-66, Prato, Italy

• Made for the Cathedral of Prato
• The vanishing point of the painting starts behind Herod who is the central figure in the painting
• The painting depicts Herod’s birthday party where Salome asked for the the head of John which was prompted by her mother, Herodias

Question 4

Portrait of a Woman and Man by Fra Fillipo Lippi

Answer 4

1435-1445 in Florence

• The earliest surviving double portrait in Italy
• It is also the first to contain a landscape background
• Luca di Bonaccorso Pitti likely commissioned this painting
• Believed to have been painted for the wedding of Lorenzo di Ranieri Scolari and his bride, Angiola di Bernardo Sapiti