Sassetti Chapel

The Sassetti Chapel walls display six detailed frescoes depicting scenes from Saint Francis of Assisi's life, painted by Domenico Ghirlandaio between 1483 and 1485.

Francesco Sassetti, director of the Medici bank, commissioned the chapel after the Dominicans of Santa Maria Novella rejected his proposal for a similar decoration in 1478.

The frescoes incorporate portraits of Medici family members and Florentine society figures, setting religious scenes against recognizable Florence architecture and landscapes.

The chapel contains the tombs of Francesco Sassetti and his wife Nera Corsi, with their kneeling portraits directing prayers toward the altarpiece of the Shepherds' Adoration.

The fresco of the Franciscan Rule Confirmation transfers the original Rome setting to Florence's Piazza della Signoria, displaying the city before its Medici-era modifications.

Location: Florence

Inception: 1480s

Creator: Domenico Ghirlandaio

Architectural style: Gothic architecture

Part of: Basilica of the Holy Trinity

GPS coordinates: 43.77028,11.25083

Latest update: March 4, 2025 11:26