My 3 day Italy trip - Firenze, Church of Santa Maria Novella (cont.) - The Western transept, the Capella di Strozzi di Mantova, Sacrestia, the Cappella Filippo Strozzi , the Eastern transept, the Cappella Bardi and inside façade - The 19th of September 2015

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We continued our visit by strolling around the Western transept having stopped at both Strozzi Chapels, one of which was undergoing restoration works. We finally made it to the Cappella Bardi  by ways of the Eastern transept. 

 

 

 

 

 

The coronation of the Madonna and Saints by the Florentine school, c.1335-40

 

 

 

The Capella Strozzi di Mantova's altar with Jesus giving the key to the kingdmom to St. Peter apostle and the book of knowledge to St. Thomas Aquinas presented by the Virgin Mary (right). The frescoe ceiling depitcting St. Thomas Aquinas with the personification of the Virtues (left).

 

 

 

The Sacrestia

Filippo Strozzi Chapel

The tomb of Tedice Aliotti, Bishop of Fiesole (left). Tomb of Joseph, the Patriarch of Constantinopla , whose painting was carried out by a Florentine painter (right)

The martyrdom of Saint Ursula (left) and the massacre of the innocents (right).

Cappella Bardi

Saint Gregory giving money to a shipwrecked beggar (right).

The Trinity, Masaccio's pioneering work considered a masterpiece of perspective and portraiture.

Annunciation by Pietro Miniato (1366-1450).

(To be continued)

 

 

 

My 3 day Italy trip - Firenze, Church of Santa Maria Novella - Cappella Maggiori frescoes and stained glass windows, Cappella Gondi and Cappella Gaddi -The 19th of September 2015

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Having got off at the Central train station we risked visiting the Gothic church of Santa Maria Novella, well known for containing some of the most important works of Art in Florence. It is said to have been built by the Dominicans from 1279 to 1357.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We walked in through the side walls' entrance of the old cemetery into the courtyard and then the main nave, whose piers spaced closer at the east end created the illusion of an exceptionally long church. I started visiting it from the right hand-side and photographing anything that caught my attention.

The Capella Maggiori was particularly impressive with its frescoed ceiling and walls by Domenico Ghirlandaio depicting scenes from both the life of Sain John the Baptist and the Virgin Mary.

 

Mary visits Saint Elizabeth

St. Joaquim is driven from the temple (left). The birth of Mary (right).

The Massacre of the innocents (left). The wedding of Mary and John (right).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We then walked into the Cappella Gondi with a wooden crucifix dating from the early 16th century and a frescoed ceiling depicting the four Evangelist attributed to the Florentine school dating from 1270-1280.

From it we walked into the Gaddi Cappella with an amazingly beautiful frescoed ceiling with stories from the life of Saint Jerome with the Virtues and other allegorical figures. 

The ressurection of the daughter of Jairus dating from 1570-72

(To be continued)