Tornabuoni Chapel, Renaissance chapel in Basilica of Santa Maria Novella, Italy
The Tornabuoni Chapel is a Renaissance chapel inside the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella featuring two large fresco cycles covering the walls with scenes from the lives of the Virgin Mary and Saint John the Baptist. The entire interior space is filled with these painted religious narratives from floor to ceiling.
Giovanni Tornabuoni commissioned Domenico Ghirlandaio in 1485 to paint the chapel after acquiring the rights from the financially struggling Ricci family. The work took several years to complete as Ghirlandaio balanced this project with other major commissions.
The frescoes show portraits of wealthy Florentine citizens and detailed depictions of 15th-century clothing, furniture, and architecture woven into religious scenes. These details reveal how the merchant elite of the time lived and what they valued.
Natural light flows through large windows, allowing visitors to see the detailed fresco work best during morning hours. Plan your visit early in the day for better illumination and fewer crowds in this intimate space.
The young Michelangelo worked briefly as an apprentice in the chapel but left due to tensions with Ghirlandaio over corrections to the master's drawings. This clash was one of the first recorded moments when Michelangelo showed his independent spirit during his training.
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