The Crowning of Mary by Fra Filippo Lippi

The extraordinarily inspired art of Beato Angelico influenced his pupil Filippo Lippi. But unlike the teacher, aspiring to the sky with his soul, he saw on the earth a reflection of heavenly heaven, which made him a life-loving person. This is noticeable in the altar image, written for the Renaissance humanist and Chancellor of the Florentine Republic, Carlo Marsuppini, intended for the San Bernardo Chapel of the church of the Arezzo monastery in Olivetan. hometown of the customer.

The work of Lippi on the topic and compositional solution is a single whole, and the three-part master probably made it for the sake of an even greater emphasis on the Central Scene – the coronation of the Mother of God. The Queen of Heaven, who ascended to heaven, kneels before Christ, hands folded in prayer, and the Son crowns Her head with a crown. The action at Filippo Lippi takes place on a high marble platform, to which the steps lead.

The Savior is seated on a bench, behind which you can see a niche made in the wall, ending with a conch in the form of a shell – a symbol of the Virgin Mary and the Resurrection. In the side parts of the triptych, the platform also continues; Below are the saints and kneeling before the Christ and Our Lady customer of the altar image and his father Gregorio. The participants in the scene are deeply reverent, even the angels are especially serious.

It seems that Filippo Lippi emphasized this state in order to tune the worshipers to sublime, but shining, dense halos over their heads, bright colors of clothes, tangibly painted figures give rise to a simple human joy in the viewer.