Hailed as one of the most important art events in Italy in recent years, the Fra Angelico exhibition at the Palazzo Strozzi in Florence did not disappoint. Entering from the street, you first catch sight of KAWS’s towering sculpture, ‘The Message’ which, as a contemporary reinterpretation of the Annunciation, begins the process of drawing the viewer into the religious iconography of the fifteenth century as you wait to enter the museum.
As you reach the top of the stairs, you are struck by the sheer size of the exhibition: over 140 works of Fra Angelico, all housed (for the first time in more than 200 years), in one building. This significance is highlighted throughout the exhibition by the presence of pieces by other artists such as Filippo Lippi which provide both context and a point of comparison with Fra Angelico’s masterpieces.
With the help of our guide, we deciphered the details of these paintings such as the identity of the figures in Fra Angelico’s ‘Deposition’ which reveals the provenance of the altarpiece. Unbeknownst to us, the man with red hat bearing the nails is Palla Strozzi, the richest man in Florence in the 1430s. This visual allusion reflects the fact that this altarpiece was commissioned for the family chapel in the Church of Santa Trinita.
Seeing these pieces set side by side with other artworks produced at the same time, it is easy to see why the works of Fra Angelico, with his skillful use of colour and perspective, have become so highly renowned. Visiting the convent of San Marco, however, reveals a different side to the works of Fra Angelico: his personal devotion.
Born Guido di Pietro, he joined the Dominican convent in Fiesole in 1418 before moving to San Marco in 1436 where he was tasked with painting frescoes in the cells of the Dominican friars. Each cell contains a single painted image on the bare wall, drawing the viewer’s attention straight to the fresco. What I found most striking were the gruesome depictions of Christ on the cross, blood spurting from his side, in the novices’ cells. Given Dominican friars aimed to imitate the lifestyle of Christ, these frescoes are not only a window into the lives of these friars but also an alarming reminder of their ascetism.
Our final Fra Angelico installment came in a surprising form: a perfume shop. At the historic Farmaceutica Santa Maria Novella, British artist David Hockney’s ‘Annunciation II, After Fra Angelico’ takes center stage and provides a contemporary contrast to Fra Angelico’s ‘Annunciaton’ (visible in the convent of San Marco). This final installment, created in 2017, serves to emphasise both the legacy of medieval art and its enduring appeal.
‘Fra Angelico’ at the Palazzo Strozzi and ‘Beato Angelico’ at the Officina Profume Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella, 16 Via della Scala, are both available until 25 January.
