La Cappella Strozzi, Overview of the chapel from the east.

The construction of the Dominican basilica of Santa Maria Novella began in 1246, and was essentially completed by the start of the 14th-century.

Chapels dedicated to certain elite families began to fill the sacred spaces near the altar shortly after the basilica was completed. The Strozzi Chapel is one example of such chapels, (known formally as the Cappella Strozzi di Mantova because the man who commissioned it was exiled in Mantua at the time ). It is situated on an elevated level at the end of the left transept. Tommaso Strozzi and his brothers were the sons of Rosso di Gerio Strozzi, who died in 1316. The chapel was constructed and decorated between 1340 and 1348. The Strozzi were one of the wealthiest of Florentine families, having attained wealth and influence through their trading and banking businesses beginning in the early 1300s. By creating this lavish chapel they hoped to atone for their usury.

Nardo di Cione, brother of Orcagna, painted the frescoes between 1354 and 1357. He was assisted by his Giovanni Del Biondo. These frescoes are the best of Nardo’s extant works.

Unlike earlier family chapels, this fresco program is devoted almost exclusively to a depiction of theLast Judgment, which takes up all three walls. The pictorial program of the frescoes is articulated like a triptych, with the Last Judgment on the west wall as the core of the ensemble and Paradise on the south wall as the pendant to Hell on the north wall. The frescoes were inspired by Dante’s Divine Comedy and painting on the West wall includes a portrait of Dante.

The gold encrusted altarpiece, The Redeemer with the Madonna and Saints, was completed by Andrea di Cione (known as Orcagna), brother of Nardo di Cione who was commissioned to paint the frescoes here between 1351 – 1357. Tommaso Strozzi was the patron.

I must gratefully acknowledge that all of the excellent photography of the chapel are from this site: https://www.wga.hu/html_m/n/nardo/strozzi/index.html

I spent a lot of time in this chapel recently, studying the walls and vaulted ceiling, and try as I might I could not make decent photos. The light is poor and inconsistent, so I’m grateful for the internet yet again!

The Last Judgement, on West wall behind the altarpiece

Detail of the Blessed from the Last Judgement fresco:

Detail of the Damned, from the Last Judgement fresco:

Paradise, South wall

Detail of Paradise:

Another detail from Paradise:

Hell, North wall

Detail from Hell:

The vault

The Strozzi Chapel is home to one of the most important altarpieces of the Trecento, painted by Orcagna (Andrea di Cione) between 1354 and 1357. Orcagna was the brother of Nardo di Cione who was commissioned to paint the fresco cycle. I will devote a separate post to the altarpiece later.