Olga's Gallery

Scenes from the Life of St. Peter, c.1424-28, completed c. 1481-85
 

1. Masaccio Expulsion from Paradise.
2. Masaccio Rendering of the Tribute Money.
3. Masaccio St. Peter Preaching in Jerusalem.
4. Masaccio St. Peter Baptizing the Neophytes.
5. Masolino Healing of the Cripple and the Raising of Tabitha.
6. Masolino The Temptation of Adam.
7. Filippino Lippi St. Paul Visiting St. Peter in Prison.
8. Masaccio and Filippino Lippi Raising of the Son of Theophilus.
9. Masaccio St. Peter Healing with His Shadow.
10. Masaccio Distribution of the Goods of the Community and the Death of Ananias.
11. Filippino Lippi St. Peter in Dispute with the Magician Simon and the Crucifixion of St. Peter.
12. Filippino Lippi The Liberation of St. Peter from Prison.

General view of the left wall.
 

General view of the right wall.

Masolino and Masaccio were commissioned the frescoes in the Brancacci Chapel by the rich silk merchant Felice Brancacci, who was evidently interested not only in commerce, but in politics as well. Brancacci soon fell out of favor with the powerful Medici family, and was exiled by them in 1436. This explains the late completion of the chapel, which was probably undertaken after the rehabilitation of Felice’s heirs.

Masolino da Panicale (1383-1440) began the painting of the chapel showing the Life of St. Peter in 1424. As was the practice at the time, Masolino first painted the ceiling and lunettes, which were destroyed by renovation in the 18th century. Masaccio joined him in 1425, and together they painted the upper wall panels. Masolino left town in the summer of 1425, and Masaccio continued working on the lower panels on his own till 1428, when he, in his turn, left for Rome, where he died the same year at the early age of 27. The chapel’s frescoes remained uncompleted until nearly 60 years later, between 1481 and 1485, Filippino Lippi finished them.