Rucellai chapel, Renaissance chapel in Basilica of Santa Maria Novella, Florence, Italy
The Rucellai Chapel is a devotional space within the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella decorated with white and green marble, featuring ribbed vaults and pointed arches. The room sits as a distinct niche at the end of the right aisle and was designed as a private chapel for the Rucellai family.
Construction of the chapel began around 1400 as Florence emerged as a leading center of Renaissance art and learning. Its completion coincided with a period when wealthy merchant families displayed their power through private devotional spaces in major churches.
The chapel displays a marble relief of the Madonna and Child alongside frescoes in early Renaissance style. These artworks reflect how wealthy families commissioned devotional images for their private worship spaces.
The chapel sits at the end of the right aisle and is accessible through the basilica's main entrance. Since it occupies a rear location within the larger structure, visitors should allow time to walk there and examine the interior at a comfortable pace.
A bronze tomb created by Lorenzo Ghiberti in 1425 lies beneath the chapel floor, holding the remains of several Rucellai family members. This work displays the craftsmanship of one of the Renaissance's greatest sculptors in an unexpectedly intimate setting.
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