Tributo Masaccio

The Tribute Money is one of Masaccio's most representative works, which he created between 1424 and 1427. This fresco, nearly six meters long, for the Brancacci Chapel in Florence. It depicts a scene centered on the figure of Saint Peter, in which the saint is seen with three turn around and do it at three different times. You see it with Jesus, surrounded by the apostles, as a tax collector asks him for the tribute. that is, the tax for entering the temple of the city of Capernaum. It can be seen on the lake's shores, where one finds a coin in the mouth of a fish. This moment represents the miracle. You can see it clearly at last, as he pays the toll to enter. The fresco is located in the Brancacci Chapel, inside the Church of Carmine. In Florence. This work was begun in 1424, when Felice Brancacci, a wealthy and powerful merchant of Florentine silk, commissioned Masolino da Panicale and Masaccio to fresco the Chapel of his family. Although Masolino was older and more renowned, the two divided the work brotherly. alternating in the various scenes. For example, it was discovered that the scaffold on which they were supposed to work was constructed in such a way one could paint on the central wall and the other on one of the side walls, without to get in each other's way Since Masolino, thanks to his fame, was ultimately summoned to Hungary at the end of 1425, the works They remained in Masaccio's hands, whom led them alone and with great skill for a couple of years. When he left for Rome in 1427, he may have thought that he could easily complete the few remaining parts. He was on his way back, but his sudden death prevented him. However, the frescoes created, and particularly the tribute, are considered by all scholars among the most important in the history of art. For this reason, a thorough analysis is necessary to understand its magnitude. Let's start with its graphical aspects. We notice how the mountain peaks no longer have sharp tips, like those of Giotto. They are also softer. The mountainous landscape, in some places, has almost the modernity of synthetic forms. abstract. Even the trees are reduced to simple lines, perhaps to avoid weighing down a background from which Statues of human figures must emerge. In these forms, the contour lines disappear. The figures are constructed with precise, saturated color shading, even violent in their intensity. intensity Accurate tonal gradations and colored shadows create volume, drapery, and expression. However, the most accurate nuances are those of Jesus' beautiful face. The figures are placed within the realistic space of a natural landscape, defined by the meticulous perspective of the building on the right. The vanishing point toward which the lines converge is located exactly behind Jesus' head. thus becoming the perceptual center of the entire representation. The light comes from the right, where the chapel's window was located, and this determines The inclination of the shadows to the left. It is always the light, more than the outline, that defines the plastic form of the figures, shaping them resemble bulky, colorful sculptures. Thanks to the light, the apostles' mantles glow with brighter hues, making The color that takes center stage in the fresco. The composition is divided into four zones, among which the central zone dominates, both for the visual impact of the colors as well as the crowdedness of the figures. The perceptual center is represented by the figure of Jesus. There are two important guidelines. That which, starting from the hands of Jesus and Peter, guides the gaze toward the lake. The other one, starting from the hand of the tax collector, goes toward the city entrance. In many sacred subjects, the source for iconography derives from the sacred scriptures. The tribute, set outside the Temple of Capernaum, depicts three events occurring simultaneously. taken from the Gospel of Matthew. The first is the request for tribute to Jesus and the Apostles, which corresponds to the episode at the center Indeed, we see Jesus among the Apostles and the tax collector from behind, who is without a halo. which demands the tax for entering the Temple of Capernaum. The left hand is open in anticipation of the tribute, while the right hand points toward the door. town dweller No one has coins to pay, but Jesus instructs Peter, the man dressed in greenish-blue. with the yellow cloak, to go to the lakeside, where he will find a fish that in The ball has the coin. Peter's furrowed eyebrows suggest he is surprised by the request. He also points to the left, as if seeking confirmation of the order, and to direct the The viewer's gaze on the continuation of the story. It leads to the second episode, the fishing of Peter, on the left. He goes to the edge of the lake, removes his cloak so as not to soil it, and with natural ease He catches a fish whose mouth miraculously contains a coin. His figure is highly expressive. One sees him small and solitary, in a humble posture, with an extremely realistic demeanor. of the legs. And even if the meaning of the painting lies entirely in the miracle that takes place, strangely Masaccio relegates this event to a point in the secondary part of the painting, distant and unattractive. The third episode consists of paying the tribute. Pietro, on the right, goes to pay, solemnly handing the money into the man's hand. The bailiff seems satisfied, but is indifferent to the miracle that has just occurred. Now observe the payment's compositional structure and the centrality of the tax. There are therefore three temporal moments, but from the spatial perspective, the scene is singular. It looks almost like a panel from a modern comic strip, but with a different sequence. Masaccio completely breaks away from the flat, compartmentalized painting of the Gothic style and creates something new. language of forms shaped by chiaroscuro and the power of colors. He observes reality without idealizing the figures, but makes them profoundly human, endowing them with depth. in simple garments and giving the faces dignified and realistic expressions. The simplicity of a painting without ornaments and the solemnity of the gestures convey a sense they express authentic religiosity and highlight the value of man in his humanity. Now let's learn something about the author. Masaccio, whose real name is Tommaso di Giovanni, was born in 1401 in San Giovanni Valdarno, But he moved to Florence as a teenager. There, in 1422, begins the friendship and collaboration with Masolino da Panicale, a painter already well known enough that it never prevented him from expressing his ideas according to his own convictions. They worked together until 1425, when Masolino went to Hungary, where he obtained a great Success. He then returned to Rome and called upon Masaccio, intending to go back to Hungary once more. With him. Masaccio accepted, but suddenly died before the summer of 1428. It was whispered that he had been poisoned by Masolino himself, envious of his success. but this rumor is entirely unfounded and is also unfair to my friend, who on the contrary He helped Masaccio in every possible way. We are in the 1400s, a century in which the phenomenon of patronage The patron is the nobleman or wealthy individual who provides work for artists and supports them financially. and make it possible for them to devote themselves to their art. However, in exchange, the patron becomes the owner of the artwork. Artists began to receive prestigious commissions not only from the church, but also as well as from public authorities and the most noble and powerful families. The cradle of 15th-century culture was Florence, thanks to families such as the Strozzi and Brancacci, but above all to the Medici family. In this city, artists such as Donatello, Masaccio, and Brunelleschi brought forth a an unparalleled artistic revolution, surpassing medieval Gothic tradition. Another famous work by Masaccio? The Resurrection of the Son of Teofilo and Saint Peter in His Chair. Another fresco from the Brancacci Chapel. Masaccio portrays himself alongside three other great artists. Masolino, Leon Battista Alberti, and Brunelleschi. There is another curiosity regarding this fresco. Look here. Notice anything? There are five tests, but only eight feet.