The Brancacci Chapel In the Church of Santa Maria del Carmine

by Elisa Del Carlo

The new guide to the Brancacci Chapel is a handy and detailed tool to accompany and complement tours of one of the most important Renaissance sites.
It summarizes the history of the church of Santa Maria del Carmine and the adjoining monastery, from their foundation up to today. The book then examines the stages that led to the execution of a fresco cycle that is exceptional because of its beauty and excellent condition—above all after the decisive restoration work done between 1983 and 1990—but, above all, because it is one of the finest examples of the artistic collaboration typical of the Renaissance, in which the revolutionary genius of Masaccio encountered the elegance of Masolino and the new disquietude of Filippino Lippi.
The guide, illustrated with numerous reproductions of the frescoes, also has diagrams that make it easy to identify the contribution of each painter. It includes biographies of the artists and a discussion of the fresco technique.