Florentine Merchants' Chapels: Frescoes as Acts of Repentance

Wealthy Florentine families, whose fortunes derived from commerce and banking, often conflicted with Christian values and feared damnation. To atone, they commissioned chapels and frescoes. The Brancacci Chapel in the Carmelite Church of Santa Maria del Carmine, decorated by Masolino, Masaccio, and later Filippino Lippi, was patronized by Felice Brancacci, heir of silk merchant Piero Brancacci. The fresco cycle narrates the life of Saint Peter, but the Tribute Money (c. 1425) by Masaccio, referencing the Gospel of Saint Matthew, holds special significance, symbolizing the cost of sins and reflecting Brancacci's experiences of expulsion and redemption. The Sassetti Chapel in Santa Trinita, acquired by Francesco Sassetti in 1478, was decorated by Domenico Ghirlandaio with scenes from the life of Saint Francis. Sassetti, a key figure in the Medici Bank, rose to General Manager. The Resurrection of the Notary's Son (1479-1485) commemorates his deceased firstborn, while Francis Renouncing His Worldly Goods is set in Geneva, where Sassetti amassed wealth, highlighting his repentance. These chapels illustrate how Florentine families used art to seek salvation.