As a Dominican friar in the 15th century, Fra Angelico’s livelihood was secure: unlike his less religious peers, he did not have to spend much time chasing commissions. He did, however, have certain spiritual obligations: he was committed to expressing the beliefs of the Dominican order and did so at a small and a monumental scale. From meticulously rendered predellas to the frescoes he created at San Marco in Florence and Saint Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican in Rome, Fra Angelico painted religious scenes of exquisite naturalism while making unusually vivid use of colour and light. This exhibition across two venues allows us to see his work in situ at the Museo di San Marco – including a Virgin and Child altarpiece and a tender Annunciation (c. 1440–45), in which the Archangel Gabriel’s wings mirror the vaulted ceiling of Mary’s home. It also presents panel paintings and other small works at the Palazzo Strozzi (26 September–25 January 2026).
Find out more from the Palazzo Strozzi’s website.
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