Basilica of Santa Maria Novella - Table of Contents  ...........................  Architecture Around the World

Nave and Chapels - Basilica of Santa Maria Novella
Piazza di Santa Maria Novella, Florence, Italy

On this page, below:
Nave

Crucifix, by Giotto

St. Thomas Aquinas, by Stefano di Ricco or Stefano Fiorentino

Strozzi Chapel

Gondi Chapel - Rood Crucifix, by Brunelleshi

Martyrdom of St. Lawrence
, by Girolamo Macchietti

Frescoes on the back wall next to the main entrance

Trinity, by Massaccio

St. Lucy
February 2020 photos


Nave



Nave  ribs and groined vaults
"The church astounded everyone with the height of its naves, so high, in fact, that they were considered to be the limits of structural possibility. Inside, the spaces melded into one vast hall. The spaces between the columns, shorter as they proceed towards the altar, accentuated the sense of depth." - Italy Guides   (online May 20220)



Pointed Gothic arches



Decorated ceiling 
ribs


The vast interior is based on a basilica plan and is divided into a
nave, two aisles set with windows and a short transept.   ...  Lower seating in photograph is in the aisle   ...    Photo taken from the Strozzi Chapel



The pillars that divide the aisles from the nave support pointed arches accented with a black and white pattern.



View toward back of church/front entrance   ...   The entire church was initially covered in frescoes but these were painted over in the 16th century by Vasari when he carried out massive works ordered by Cosimo de' Medici.    ...   Note round stained glass window above the portal - window detailed below:


Stained glass  Coronation of Mary in Heaven celebrated by angels playing musical instruments
   ...   14th century   ...    Based on a design of Andrea di Bonaiuto da Firenze



Coronation of Mary in Heaven



Coronation of Mary in Heaven  celebrated by angels playing musical instruments




Rood Crucifix
By Giotto
1288-89
Renaissance style

"The church initially was divided into two parts: the higher part closer to the altar was divided by a wall and reserved for the friars while the lower part was open to the faithful that entered by the eastern side door. This wall was demolished by Vasari in the 16th century but you can clearly see where the division used to be as Giotto's Crucifix hangs right above.

The Crucifix by Giotto hangs in the center of the central nave as all his crucifixes were intended: with empty air all around it, you were to be reminded of Christ's actual crucifixion on the wooden cross. While it is an early work (1288-89) for Giotto, you can see his mastery in the shading on Christ's body, the waves in his hair, the blood spilling out, the details in the background tapestry. Gory but BEAUTIFUL at the same time!" - Visit Florence  (online May 2020)


Rood 
Crucifix
 
Leaving behind the stylized images of the Byzantine tradition, Giotto painted subjects true to life making him one of the earliest Renaissance artists.



Rood  Crucifix
Mary, mother of Jesus, who was present at the Crucifixion   ...   Note one of the stigmata



Rood  Crucifix
St. John the Evangelist, also present at the Crucifixion



Rood  Crucifix
Note
Renaissance realism


Rood  Crucifix
Gilded halo



Rood  Crucifix
One of the five
stigmata



Rood  Crucifix
Two of the five stigmata


Rood  Crucifix
Crucifix back supports were not originally meant to be seen



 
St. Thomas Aquinas
By Stefano di Ricco or Stefano Fiorentino
C. 1450



St. Thomas Aquinas
Fresco   ...   Detached from the wall behind an altar in 1858



St. Thomas Aquinas
Gothic architectural background   ...   Finials with pinnacles   ...   Crockets   ...   Multifoil   ...   Trefoil arch



St. Thomas Aquinas
Early Renaissance rendering of the saint





Capella Strozzi di Mantova/ Strozzi Chapel
Architects: Nardo Di Cione and Niccolo Di Tomasso
C. 1360
Gothic style

"Another chapel built for the Strozzi family is the Cappella Strozzi di Mantova (Strozzi of Mantua Chapel). The name refers to the city of Mantua, where members of the Strozzi family lived after they were exiled from Florence.

"The chapel is decorated with frescoes by Nardo di Cione, who between 1351 and 1357 painted impressions of hell, purgatory and paradise. The frescoes were inspired by Dante's poem The Divine Comedy. Dante himself is depicted on the Paradise-fresco, together with members of the Strozzi family. Nardo di Cione also created the stained glass window with portraits of Mary and Thomas Aquinas." - A View on Cities


Strozzi Chapel



Strozzi Chapel
 Heaven mural, by Nardo di Cione




Strozzi Chapel
Madonna and Child, by Nardo di Cione



Strozzi Chapel
St. Thomas Aquinas, by Nardo di Cione



Strozzi Chapel
Altarpiece of the Redeemer, polyptych by Andrea Orcagna (Nardo's brother), 1357    ...   Gilded background



Strozzi Chapel
Warrior Archangel Michael to the left of St. Catherine of Siena holding the wheel on which she was to be tortured   ...   Virgin Mary and St. Thomas Aquinas



Strozzi Chapel
Jesus hands the Book of Knowledge to St. Thomas Aquinas and gives the key to heaven to Peter



Strozzi Chapel
Kneeling:  St. Peter accepting the key to heaven






Gondi Chapel - Crucifix
By Brunelleschi
Renaissance style

"The Gondi Chapel features a wooden crucifix created by Brunelleschi. He carved the statue after Donatello had asked him what he thought of the crucifix Donatello had made for Santa Croce. Brunelleschi told him his Christ looked like a buffoon. Donatello, insulted, told him to try to carve a crucifix himself. Brunelleschi obliged and created his own crucifix just to show Donatello how to do it properly. The chapel was originally decorated with frescoes but in 1503 these were removed and the chapel is now decorated with black and white marble panels."  - A View on Cities (online May 2020)

"The Gondi chapel to the left of the main altar contains a wooden Crucifix by Brunelleschi from 1410-15 which he completed in competition with his friend Donatello. Brunelleschi saw the crucifix Donatello had created for the Bardi Chapel in
Santa Croce and was said to have exclaimed that Donatello's Christ looked like "a farmer on a cross" and said "I'll show you how Christ is supposed to be". He said that Christ was a man but not just any particular man and Brunelleschi then set out to show what he meant by that. The result is this Crucifix: carved in wood and then painted, observe the beautiful, majestic inclination of the head and the realistic detailed carving of the muscles in His body." - Visit Florence

To the left of the main altar in the Gondi family's chapel is the recently restored Christ on the cross carved in wood by Brunelleschi in the early 1400's. The proportions are mathematically perfect following the rules of Vitruvius's ideal man and befitting the perfection of the subject according to Brunelleschi." - W
alkabout  (online May 2020)


Gondi Chapel - Crucifix



Gondi Chapel - Crucifix
"The chapel was originally decorated with frescoes but in 1503 these were removed and the chapel is now decorated with black and white marble panels."



Gondi Chapel - Crucifix
Carved and painted




Gondi Chapel - Crucifix
Marble S scrolls separate the seats




Martyrdom of St. Lawrence
By Girolamo Macchietti
1573


Mannerist style oil painted altarpiece   ...    During the years 1556-1562,
Macchietti worked as an assistant to Giorgio Vasari in the decoration of the Palazzo Vecchio. He participated in the Vasari-directed decoration of the Studiolo of Francesco I with two canvases, one relating a Jason and Medea (1570) and the other a Baths of Pozzuoli (1572).



Martyrdom of St. Lawrence
Saint Lawrence  was martyred by Roman Emperor Valerian in  258   ...   Burned to death on a gridiron prepared with hot coals beneath it. After the martyr had suffered pain for a long time, the legend concludes, he cheerfully declared: "I'm well done on this side. Turn me over!" From this St. Lawrence derives his patronage of cooks, chefs, and comedians.     ...    Lawrence is especially honored in the city of Rome, of which he is considered the third patron after St. Peter and St. Paul.  The Roman Catholic Church erected six churches on the sites in Rome traditionally associated with his martyrdom.    ...   In art, he is sometimes depicted with a gridiron.




 

Frescoes on the back wall next to the main entrance


Frescoes on the back wall next to the main entrance



Frescoes on the back wall next to the main entrance
The Annunciation



Frescoes on the back wall next to the main entrance
John baptizes Jesus



Frescoes on the back wall next to the main entrance
Adoration of the Three Magi



Frescoes on the back wall next to the main entrance
Birth of Jesus




Trinity
By Masaccio
1424-25
Renaissance style

"The Trinità, or Trinity, by Masaccio is on the far wall right in front of you as you enter the church through the side door. The Trinità (1424-25) is one of the earliest paintings to demonstrate mastery of perspective. Also notice that the Virgin Mary is not portrayed as a young girl as in so many other paintings; here, she is older and is clearly a mother.

"The entire church was initially covered in frescoes but these were painted over in the 16th century by Vasari when he carried out massive works ordered by Cosimo de' Medici. The Trinità was fortunately only covered by a massive painting and actually "rediscovered" around 1860 when further refurbishments were carried out." - Visit Florence (online May 2020)

"... last known work of the artist, who died shortly thereafter, at only 27 years of age. Within the monumental classic architecture, God the father supports Christ’s cross. The figures of the painting’s sponsors kneel at the sides of the scene - an absolute novelty: never before had normal sized profane subjects been painted into sacred scenes.

"The language is daring and revolutionary: for the first time the scene is presented with exceptional realism and is inserted into a grandiose painted scenario. The space, created in perspective, hit the eyes of the time as though it were real. Nothing like it had ever been seen before: the wall opened onto a sort of hole, revealing a bleak chapel done in an entirely new and different style. The
Renaissance had begun to overtake the Gothic: modern times were knocking at the door." - Italy Guide


 
Trinity
   Fresco   ...    Thought to be the earliest example of Renaissance style linear perspective, and almost certainly produced with the help of Brunelleschi.


 
Trinity
Madonna, St. John the Evangelist, two patrons of the Lenzi family below





St. Lucia/St. Lucy
1494


St. Lucia/St. Lucy



St. Lucia/St. Lucy
    Because Lucy refused to be married, she was tortured by having her eyes torn out. She was martyred by being stabbed with a dagger.   She holds her eyes on a dish






Photos and their arrangement © 2020 Chuck LaChiusa
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