description Strozzi Altarpiece Overview
The Strozzi Altarpiece is a large polyptych painted by Andrea di Cione, known as Orcagna, for the Strozzi Chapel in Santa Maria Novella, Florence. Completed in 1357, it places Christ in Majesty at the center, accompanied by the Virgin, Saint John the Baptist, Saint Thomas Aquinas, and other holy figures. Its tempera and gold surfaces, hierarchical composition, and elaborate framing make it an important surviving work of mid-14th-century Florentine Gothic art.
help Strozzi Altarpiece FAQ
Who painted the Strozzi Altarpiece and when?
The Strozzi Altarpiece was painted by Andrea di Cione, known as Orcagna, and completed in 1357. Orcagna was a leading Florentine painter, sculptor, and architect of the mid-14th century.
Where is the Strozzi Altarpiece located?
The altarpiece was commissioned for the Strozzi Chapel in the Dominican church of Santa Maria Novella in Florence, where it remains tied to that setting. The chapel itself was financed by the wealthy Strozzi banking family.
What figures are depicted in the Strozzi Altarpiece?
Christ in Majesty occupies the central panel, flanked by the Virgin Mary, Saint John the Baptist, Saint Thomas Aquinas, and other Dominican saints. The selection of Aquinas reflects the altarpiece's Dominican context in Santa Maria Novella.
What format does the Strozzi Altarpiece take?
It is a large polyptych, meaning a multi-paneled devotional image designed to sit on an altar. The panels are unified by an ornate Gothic frame and gilded background typical of mid-Trecento Florentine painting.
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