St. Lawrence giving alms, Cappella Niccolina

St. Lawrence giving alms, Cappella Niccolina, Palazzi Pontifici, Vatican. Fresco by Fra Angelico (c1400-55) Italian painter. In 1447, or perhaps earlier, Fra Angelico was in Rome, where he painted the private chapel of Pope Nicholas V with scenes from the lives of St Lawrence and St Stephen. In the fresco Saint Lawrence Giving Alms, the artist consciously compares the saint to Christ. Clearly written on the pectoral of his red dalmatic, which is emblazoned with mystical flames, are the letters: JHESVS CHRISTVS. He is shown enclosed within the apse of a superb basilica, the Catholic church, and his heart is superimposed over the place of the altar. Douglas considered this fresco the greatest of all Fra Angelico's works, the fitting climax of his whole career

1447 Alms Angelico Apse C1400-55 Cappella Clearly Climax Compares Consciously Considered Dalmatic Earlier Emblazoned Enclosed Fitting Mystical Niccolina Palazzi Pectoral Perhaps Pontifici Superb Superimposed Vatican

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