The Chapel of the Painters

I’ve spent a lot of time in Florence over many decades and I’ve never seen this chapel open before this week. I don’t know when it reopened, but it must have been within the last 3 years while I’ve been away. It looks brand-spanking new, but with historic artwork. In other words, I think it’s been restored recently.

I wandered into this historic place kind of by accident on a recent day when I was in a daze following an unpleasant but necessary visit to the local post office. I’ll be posting about that soon. Being an ex pat is not all sunshine and camellias! Sometimes it’s a brutal thunderstorm and thorns.

But then you enjoy the serendipity of finding a place like this by accident and it all seems worthwhile.

I knew I was in the right place when I saw upon entering the chapel the famous painting by Vasari of St. Luke painting the Virgin Mary. I’ve seen this painting in more slide shows and textbooks over the years than I can shake a stick at. What a surprise to see it in person!

According to Catholic lore, St. Luke is the saint of artists because he himself was a painter. I know darn well St. Luke would not have been painting on an easel with a palette and brushes before the Christian era, but we can let facts disappear and enjoy the feeling Vasari was creating.

Trinity by Alessandro Allori

Construction of Temple of Solomon by Santi di Tito

I love the tights and shoes on this figure above!

The sculptures placed in niches seemed to break out of their designated spaces. It was a little arresting!

Moses by Montorsoli

St Luke by Vincenzo Danti

In the photo below is the painting from the chapel’s ceiling.

Here’s a source for more info: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chapel_of_St_Luke,_Annunziata

The Cappella di San Luca (Chapel of St Luke), also called dei Pittori is a chapel found in the cloisters of the convent of Santissima Annunziata in Florence, Italy. It was built to serve as the burial chapel for members of the Accademia delle Arti del Disegno, and was donated by the Servites to the Academy in a document from 1565. It contains a collection of terracota statues from a number of prominent Florentine Mannerist sculptors.

The servite cleric and sculptor Giovanni Angelo Montorsoli arranged with Vincenzo Borghini and Giorgio Vasari to build a burial chapel for the Academy of Design, with the support of the Medici Duke. Immediately plans were also made to decorate the chapel. Originally, the chapel entrance was from the north, under the Trinity fresco by Allori, and the chapel was dedicated to the Trinity. But in time, the chapel became associated with St Luke, patron saint of painters. Tradition holds that the apostle Luke created the first painting of the Virgin Mary, a story depicted in the chapel’s fresco on the east wall, painted by Vasari. During the Napoleonic occupation of Tuscany, the French archbishop named to lead the archdiocese of Florence, Eustache d’Osmond, was housed in the convent, made this his private chapel, and opened a new entrance which currently serves.

Many Florentine artists were buried here, including Montorsoli, Pontormo, Cellini, Franciabigio, Lorenzo Bartolini. Apparently there was a burial there as recently as 1983. The chapel still belongs to the Academy and holds memorial services here.

Plaque in the floor leading to burial crypt.

This is the kind of serendipitous excursion I live for!