Fra Angelico pioneered many of the stylistic trends that are characteristic of the early Renaissance and so, he was a very dominant figure along with several others of the time, including Uccello and Lippi. He reached maturity in the early 1430s, at which point he was operating the largest and most prestigious workshop in Florence. This workshop has made it hard to assign works to Fra Angelico solely as he had a team of various assistants, skilled journeymen and painters who were also involved in his contribution to Renaissance religious paintings.
Angelico’s style differed from the traditional polyptych altarpiece type and instead he projected the new naturalism found in panel paintings onto a monumental scale. He softened a traditionally harsh and dramatic style of Tuscan mural decoration, in his frescos, with the colouristic and luminescent shades that characterised his panel paintings.
He was very influential, particularly in the second half of the 15th century; noticeable through the work of a close follower – Benozzo Gozzoli – but also, more indirectly through the production of work by Domenico Veneziano and Piero della Francesca. His legacy can be reflected through his name; he was baptised Guido di Pietro but was praised as “the Angelic Painter”, and so fourteen years after his death in 1455, his name was changed in an attempt to elevate his status.
The Dominican Friar was recognisable through his black and white clothing. Dominican’s are known for their ability to preach and think. The religious orders were reformed in the early 15th century and the Observant Dominicans, of which Fra Angelico was one, look back to their founders – strict Dominicans who had lives revolving around intellectual work and prayer.
Fra Angelico as an artist was aware of the art and artists around him in Florence and from them he learned and was influenced. For example, Fra Angelico referred to the readings of Alberti who suggested that good paintings should be square, and so, Angelico produced a square painting. Fra Angelico had the ability to listen and observe and then absorb and replicate this information into his own work.
Fra Angelico trained in the manuscript industry where he was taught how to paint detailed small pictures with fine lines and rich colours. By 1417 Fra Angelico had received a few commissions for small panel paintings and these caused him to be sufficiently well known by 1426, where he was to be the artist for an altarpiece (that was never executed) for the Medici family’s parish church of San Lorenzo, Florence. These early years of his career were focused on developing the skills necessary for painting on a monumental scale; which required the need for a system of representing volume that did not depend on the refined, calligraphic application of colour used for manuscript illumination.
Fra Angelico began with a more conventional Tuscan format in his Triptych executed for the high altar at The San Domenico. This was the first painting that Angelico painted for the church. The altar piece represents the Virgin and Child surrounded by eight angels and bordered, at the side, by four figures: Thomas Aquinas, the Order’s greatest scholar, Barnabus, Patron saint of Barnaba degli Agli and benefactor to the convent, Dominic, founder of the Order and Peter Martyr, the Order’s first martyr and most expressive preacher. These figures showcase Fra Angelico’s close study of Masolino, but also Gentile da Fabriano whose ‘Virgin and Child with Angels and Four Saints’ was also in Florence.
Despite this high altar piece being a conventional subject (‘the Madonna and Child enthroned with angels and saints’) Angelico depicted it with a new and original approach. He abandoned the traditional Gothic altarpiece format which divided the Madonna and present saints into arched compartments, instead he placed all the figures in a single square field – known as a pala quadrata. This combined spatial setting of this main panel along with the representation of architecture in the narrative predella scenes exhibit Angelico’s understanding of perspective.
Following this, Fra Angelico completed two altarpieces for Fiesole which, again, showcase Angelico’s knowledge of other artists. In this case, his knowledge of Masaccio and, more specifically, the ‘Virgin and Child Enthroned’ from the polyptych. In this painting however, the sophisticated handling of light and colour in Gentile de Fabriano’s work appears to have been more of an influence on Fra Angelico than the Chiaroscuro of Masolino or Masaccio, as these two later altarpieces required a descriptive atmosphere. However, it is believed that the setting for the ‘Annunciation’ may have been derived by Fra Angelico from Masaccio’s untraced painting of the same subject.
Fra Angelico aimed to retain the inclusion of local hues that characterised 14th century paintings even though the common use of chiaroscuro within early 15th century art had made the style redundant. Angelico abandoned the use of chiaroscuro as a technique which consequently meant it was harder for him to render mass and space convincingly. Instead, Angelico had a technique of translating the plasticity of solids in space through the use of complementary colours – frequently red and green. This idea came from studying 14th century Sienese paintings, particularly from Duccio and Martini.
There is perspectival space present in the ‘Coronation’ and this demonstrates an elaboration of the system of geometric perspective based on the vanishing-point construction (one-point linear perspective) invented by Brunelleschi, which was only employed with consistent success by Masaccio before Fra Angelico. Space in Masaccio’s work was controlled by a single point rather than overlaid projections that Angelico designed for the ‘Coronation’.
Fra Angelico was commissioned by the Arte de’ Linaiuoli to depict the ‘Virgin and Child Enthroned with John the Evangelist, John the Baptist, Mark and Peter’ in the form of a triptych in 1433 and is known as the Linaiuoli Tabernacle. It was commissioned by the wealthy linen guild for a tabernacle in the guild hall. This is the earliest painting of Fra Angelico’s with an unambiguous date. The painting is the largest single-panel image of the Virgin and Child executed in the 15th century. The large scale combined with the material and colour of a gold ground and planes of costly lapis lazuli and carmine red are a visible sign of expense by the wealthy linen guild. The tabernacle is a status symbol. It was also placed in a partially gilded frame designed by Ghiberti. The general form of the Tabernacle is associated with Giotto’s ‘Ognissanti Madonna’ and late thirteenth century panels such as Duccio’s ‘Rucellai Madonna’.
The central image shows Mary richly draped “in brocade-edged cloth flowing languidly at her feet yet handled to suggest the solid physical presence beneath” in a barrel-vaulted chamber with Christ (depicted as a child rather than infant) on her left thigh. The Virgin takes the mass and weight of the “frontally posed” Jesus, with a slight shift to the back left. Her head is slightly off centred from the main axis of her body. Jesus is shown calm and expressionless with both arms extending out of his regally dressed belted tunic, holding an orb in the left hand whilst the right is raised to replicate the gesture of a blessing. In this Tabernacle Fra Angelico has tried to enhance the plasticity of both the Virgin and Child. The style that Angelico had depicted these figures in is sweet with “porcelain-skinned”, doll like faces for both Mary and Jesus, this is a clear indication that Fra Angelico was looking at the international gothic style. The figures are “descendant[s] of Gentile’s figures, but [are] informed by a sure sense of mass and space”.
These figures exist fixed and motionless within a draped chamber, with curtains that are presented pulled back to reveal divinity. The dove of the Holy Spirt is shown hovering above them and God the Father is sculpted in the pediment of the marble frame. This means all three elements of the Holy Trinity are represented on the tabernacle. “The Virgin and Child are enthroned in the centre of a richly carved structure, surrounded by a band of twelve exquisite angel-musicians”. These twelve angels playing music are shown standing on clouds on the curved inner frame of the main panel. The wings of these angels’ shimmer and this was achieved by spreading transparent layers of colour thinly across the gold ground.
The tabernacle is usually shut, but when open, the shutters show St John the Baptist on the left and St Mark, the patron saint of the guild. St John the Baptist is the Patron Saint of Florence and so his presence within the Triptych is majorly important. The depiction of St John the Baptist is more Renaissance in style, rather than International Gothic, with indications of realism and classical influences seen as Angelico has depicted veins and placed St John the Baptist in a slight contrapposto pose. The drapery curves down to the bottom which indicates towards Fra Angelico’s studies of Ghiberti’s sculpture outside the Orsanmichele. The depiction is Gothic but there are touches of Renaissance through the beginnings of realism with a sense of real body, however, it is not yet clearly visible.
This depiction of St John the Baptist is on the interior panel and is covered in gold. A new window was added to the hall so that the panel could be flooded with light when open, which makes the gold appear all the more obvious. It is a clear representation of divinity and heaven, it contrasts dramatically with the panel when its shut and consequently dark.
When the triptych is shut the viewer can see Saint Mark with his book and Saint Peter with a key. “Their gothic drapery qualified by a classicizing avoidance of independent linear rhythms”. Their heads can be associated with that of Evangelists but also Masaccio through the “exploration of bone structure”.
The predella beneath shows three independent framed scenes, in the same style as the depiction above. The left shows ‘St Peter Preaching’ with St Mark writing down the sermon on a tablet which is fitting with the ancient transition that St Mark’s gospel is St Peter’s eye witness account. The right scene shows the ‘Martyrdom of St Mark’, where the dead body of the saint is being dragged through the streets of Alexandria in a hailstorm. The middle scene depicts the ‘Adoration of the Magi’.
Fra Angelico took the same approach as Masaccio when it came to studying other artworks, they both chose to look at sculpture rather than painted images in an attempt to achieve the effect of monumentality in large-scale standing figures. “This picture seems to have a definite connexion with the work of Masaccio”. He was particularly interested in the sculpture of Ghiberti, from this he gained an understanding of realism and volume and then used this to create an impression of volume in an attempt to define figures, as well as linear perspective to define space in his art aimed to stimulate contemplation. Fra Angelico was intellectual and therefore had the capacity to understand the innovations in Florentine art, these greatly interested him. His stylistic decisions were driven by ideas of decorum and were always used to benefit the function and subject-matter of the work.
The commission for the Linaiuoli Tabernacle caught the attention of a large circle of rich and powerful citizens. The Cosimo de’ Medici and Palla Strozzi who were rivals in both politics and business. The commissioning of the Linaiuoli Tabernacle meant that within a year Fra Angelico was working for both men, possibly even at the same time. Strozzi commissioned Fra Angelico to paint the ‘Deposition’, for the sacristy of Santa Trìnita, Florence along with Gentile da Fabriano’s ‘Adoration of the Magi’. The ‘Deposition’ was not an altarpiece and was left unfinished after Lorenzo Monaco’s death. The frame dates to the period of his death and the three scenes within the gables are by Monaco.
Angelico’s workshop completed the piece with the twelve standing figures on the pilasters, along with the sublime landscape, the main panel but also the deposition itself, although it is unknown when this work took place. The vast landscape which expands beyond the lateral edges of the painted area is new within Fra Angelico’s work. The closest resemblance to a landscape on a large-scale is in the ‘tour de force’ view of hills and valleys within the Cortona ‘Annunciation’ predella. There is a timid exchange between the Virgin and Angel Gabriel in the Cortona painting which can also be linked to the ‘Deposition’ as this shows an accurate depiction of natural human psychology in terms of the sympathetic expressions of the central group that surround Christ’s dead body. There is a clear sense of Fra Angelico exploring human feelings registered in facial expressions, which enlivens the figures.
The ‘San Marco Altarpiece’ central panels shows the ‘Virgin and Child Enthroned’ against a backdrop of trees, behind which an extensive landscape is present. The painting would have been finished to an incredible sharp, focused and detailed level, however, after the painting was cleaned in the 19th century, the altarpiece lost a lot of this refinement.
The Virgin and Child are surrounded by angels on either side and six saints are present in front of these angels to both the left and right. The Saint on the left is St Laurence, who is dressed as priest but is also the brother of the Medici Family, the following saint is St John the Evangelist (Cosimo’s Father’s name saint), shown holding a book and finally the figure closest to the right-hand side of Mary is St Mark – who wrote one of the gospels. It is unusual to see a depiction of St John the Evangelist as an older man and away from the foot of the crucifix. St Dominic and St Peter Martyr are also portrayed in the painting and can be noticed through their white dress with black coats, separating these two men in St Francis the Franciscan Friar.
A small rectangular framed ‘crucifixion’ rises up directly above the centre of the predella into the space of the pattered foreground, which is, in fact, a carpet. It serves two purposes, firstly it creates an illusion of space and this incorporation of a painting within a painting was entirely new and revolutionary and so, this innovation can be credited to Fra Angelico. It’s second purpose is to include the crucifix within the painting as this was a necessity for art surrounding the altar. The inclusion of a contemporary, Anatolian carpet (that would have most probably been Turkish) was unusual but it too helped to create an illusion of three-dimensional space as the detailed lines are orthogonals. The curtains also serve two compositional purposes, they frame the painting but also hang in front with the galas to show that the figures are clearly set in space behind these details. The San Marco Altarpiece clearly shows that Fra Angelico had implemented Albertian perspective. This technique was outlined in Alberti’s book ‘On Painting’ and again shows Angelico’s ability to absorb and replicate/reproduce information.
Further examples of Fra Angelico’s referral to Alberti’s teachings in his book ‘On Painting’ can also be seen within this painting as Angelico has depicted Cosimo ‘looking out’ towards the viewer, Alberti states that figures needed to be presented turning towards the viewer as this would draw the viewer in and allow them to engage and identify with the painting when praying.
The iconography within this San Marco Altarpiece subtly links to Dominican interests. More generally, Fra Angelico’s art was a way to stimulate prayer and theological thought which coincided with the Dominican way of both thinking and looking, summarised as mental prayer. Viewer’s used the work to art to prayer, think and be spiritual. Not only that, but, Fra Angelico has wrapped these Medicean figures in the cloak of Dominicans. The orb that the infant Christ is holding symbolises the world, a motif traceable in Dominican art.
The central scene of the predella shows scenes from the ‘lives of Cosmas and Damian’, the major patron saints of the Medici family and the two kneeling figures in the main panel are introducing the patrons into the scene. Cosmas and Damian are the two kneeling doctor twins in the foreground. The placement of these kneeling figures suggests that Fra Angelico may have studied a younger painter’s design (Fra Fillippo Lippi) for his first altarpiece, the ‘Virgin and Child with Fredianus and Augustine’. The inclusion of these figures links directly to the Medici Family who were, particularly Cosimo, the unofficial rulers of Florence. Cosmio and his brother payed for the rebuilding of the church and convent. The painting contains other indications of the Medici Family; these can be seen on the edge of the carpet as the red balls allude to the Medici coat of arms.
The inclusion of the Medici family was not excluded to the ‘San Marco Altarpiece’, Fra Angelico included saints with references to members of the Medici family in his ‘Annalena Altarpiece’ (Tempera on Panel). Art Historians differ about when it was first painted and the location for the panel was also unknown, but there is a possibility that is was painted for one of the Medici chapels in San Lorenzo. The Madonna and six saints are aligned before a simple “background with an arcade extending behind it to either side”. The saint on the left is dressed in black and white (demonstrating he’s a Dominican Friar) and is holding a book and pen representing the intellectual work of the friars. This saint is believed to be St Peter (Piero) who is a martyr and Dominican friar. Two saints are clothed as doctors in red robes with fir trimmed hats and one is holding a pill box. These saints look very similar to Saint Sosmas (Cosimo) and Damian. The bearded man with a book is John (Giovarni) the Evangelist. St Laurence (Lorenzo) is dressed as a priest, in honour of Cosimo’s father. The figure on the far right depicts a man with a shaved head, dressed in brown with a three knotted cord rope around his waist, he also has marks on his hands and feet which are the wounds of Christ known as Stigmata. This is Frances of Assisi.
The most important saints are depicted on the right-hand side of Jesus as this is the place of honour and stems from the ‘bad’ side being on the left of Jesus as this is where the thief was placed at his crucifixion. Having said this, none of the saints are ‘bad’ as they all have halos.
A study of Classism is seen on the throne and through the shell niches, semi-circular arches and classical architecture. The high wall and its pink cornice run the entire width of the panel. The natural world, which was also the setting of the ‘San Marco Altarpiece’, is confined to just the grass and flowers in the foreground of the painting, however, this foreground is shallower than Angelico’s previous Altarpiece.
For the second time, Fra Angelico has shown all the figures standing in the same physical space, only separated by a slight change in level (from the ledges). This unified space suggest conversation in thought and is further emphasised through interaction by gesture and expression. Mental prayer is unifying the figures. This is known as sacra conversazione.
The ‘Annunciation’ was also commissioned for the Convent of San Marco Florence. This was placed in a space where people would have given up worldly possessions and traded them in for a life of prayer and solitude. It is positioned beyond the second cloister on the left and at the top of the stairs. To reach it the viewer is required to walk up the stairs, where there are a number of family crests of the Medici which reminds visitors that they were the dominant patrons of the convent.
The ‘Annunciation’ is large scaled and depicts life-sized figures. The fresco starts four feet off the ground, and so the viewers look up to the image. “The image is spare which is particularly fitting for the monastic space.” The lodge/porchway which the Madonna and the angel Gabriel occupy matches the cloister and the windows that can be seen around the viewer.
There is documentation of a new window being paid for to be put in on the upper floor when the rebuilding took place. It is rare to have such a large window as all the cells had very little windows. The window was put in deliberately to light the fresco and incorporated a sense of realism as the light (and lack of) in the painting matches the light source from the left in real life. The window is east facing, and so, the light of dawn comes through the window; again, there is a connection with realism as there is a common belief that Gabriel came to visit Mary at dawn.
The sparseness within the painting meant that Angelico could create very decorative forms, for example, the details wings of Angel Gabriel which have a mineral on them to catch the light. This mineral is Silica and was a totally new technique. The light from the window causes this to sparkle.
The Archangel Gabriel has appeared to Mary to announce that she will be bearing God, in other depictions there are symbols of iconography to exchange this image for example, white lilies as a symbol of Mary’s virginity. Some art historians suggest that these images are missing because the Friars would have known the story very well. “A Dominican would have been singularly well equipped to read the messages of the ‘Annunciation’ because of the transitional theme that is imbedded within the Order’s ethos.” For example, Dominican custom involved greeting the Virgin with the angelic greeting on entering the dormitory, an action which was undertaken genuflecting. Firstly, this genuflecting pose is mirrored in the action of Angel Gabriel. Secondly, the inscription across the bottom of the fresco reads “when you come before the figure of the intact Virgin, do not fail to say a Hail Mary”. This painting links the image and the beholder/viewer. The inscription instructs the viewer to repeat the prayer of Gabriel. The painting has a purpose and tells the Dominicans exactly how to behave.
There is a flatness on the left-hand side of the painting, with the two-dimensionality of the forest. There are references to linear perspective on the right-hand side, but the figures are too large for the space. Light in this image comes from the upper left but no shadows are cast from the clearly modelled columns, other than a potential soft shadow on the left. Mary casts a shadow on the right in the earthly space, but angel Gabriel does not cast a shadow. The halos are flat and round like the ones seen in 1300s and not a foreshortened version that Masaccio used. Despite being aware of Masaccio and advanced humanist styles, Fra Angelico held to a more conservative and traditional aspects which is fitting with the monastic environments.
Mary and the angel look similar and are both idealised, initially their faces appear generalised, yet their eyes are very specific and detailed. Despite being separated by the column their gazes meet and lock in place. Mary’s bent forward gesture with crossed arms suggests that she is accepting of her responsibility from Gabriel. Mary’s clothing is not in the colour Lapis Lazuli (from Afghanistan) instead it is blue-black, and this serves two purposes; firstly, it does not distract the friar when praying but it also creates a link between Mary and the Dominican Friars (who have black clothing), therefore, this painting will resonate with the Dominicans who would queue in front of the painting every morning before they attended a religious service.
Vasari holds a very high opinion of this painting, from an artist who he perceived to only be a good and pious man, he states in ‘The Lives of the Artists’ that the ‘Annunciation to Our Lady by the angel Gabriel painted in profile which is so devout, delicate, and well executed that it truly seems to have been created in Paradise rather than by a human hand”. This opinion is not surprising as Vasari saw Angelico as “no less [than] an excellent painter and illuminator” and as someone who “deserves” to be “greatly honoured by posterity”.
Fra Angelico contributed massively to 15th century Florentine paintings. They all had a religious focus, partly dictated by his own religious beliefs and order as a Dominican Friar. Far Angelico held a strong belief that art should be used to stimulate prayer and encourage teaching and learning of religious narratives/texts. Angelico held a great skill in learning either through observation or reading this information affected his work dramatically and referred to ideas and compositions of both previous and contemporary artists. In addition to this, Fra Angelico pioneered several new techniques, either through medium, style and even composition.