Masaccio, Di Banco, Del Castagno, and Lippi Art

Masaccio’s *Crucifixion of Pisa*

Individualized figures are defined and given different expressions, in a simplified way and without going into excessive detail. For example, the hands of Thomas are very simple, and the head of St. Peter is very round. These figures are not anatomically perfect, but it does not matter. The volume of the figures is achieved through the modeling of shadows. The work was interrupted by Masolino’s trip to Hungary.

Altarpiece: *Crucifixion of Pisa***

The altarpiece was to be surrounded architecturally. The cross termination is tree-topped, although it is impaired, there is a reference to the legend of Santa Cruz (and the seed of the tree of paradise). Placing figures naturally here is very difficult because of the golden background; just a small mound is placed on the floor.

Both the look of the characters and their gestures are individualized. It is clear that Christ’s neck is not represented because it is a work meant to be viewed from below. The shadows of Christ are incredible.

The Virgin is in profile and has an incredible embodiment. Masaccio depicts her standing, representing the moments as the Bible describes: standing and sad. She has extraordinary strength; she is a strong woman, resisting watching her son on the cross.

San Juan, the young disciple, seems diminished but still very strong. The figure’s folds are not Gothic.

The figure of the Magdalene is amazing; it conveys much of her pain while her back is turned. Masaccio placed her at the cross for us. No one had bothered to put the Magdalene in such a way; here, she bursts with pain and sinks into silence. The combination of red and yellow of the Magdalene is traditional but very intense, with falling strands of hair, and her head is tilted to the right.

Nani Di Banco’s *Four Crowned Saints* and Andrea Del Castagno’s *Calvary***

*Four Crowned Saints* (1411-1413) by Nani Di Banco, a sculptor born in Florence around 1390 (died 1421), is a marble work made for a niche of Or San Michelle. The figures represent four Roman martyrs of the persecution of Diocletian, who are also the patron saints of stone carvers.

Andrea del Castagno, also born in Florence (in 1421), created paintings that are an interpretation of Donatello, which is why they are so sculptural. It is also a very expressive painting, rounded, with an exaggeration of Masaccio’s human vision.

Both pieces are framed by two stems that limit the space. This space is crucial in both works, as both coincide in the semi-circular arrangement of the characters. In the case of Andrea Del Castagno, it is less clear because the painting does not reflect the depth that Nani Di Banco represents with the four holy martyrs. The sculptural *Calvary* (1443) highlights the relationship between the two works; the folds of the garments are very well defined, making incisions that create a play of light and shadow.

Filippo Lippi’s *Feast of Herod* and *Last Supper***

The Feast of Herod is part of the frescoes for the Chapel of the Cathedral of Prato that Lippi made during his time in Prato (1452-1464). It is known that he took a long time to complete this work, but at the same time, he was engaged in other projects. Initially, the task was to be given to Fra Angelico, but he refused.