Tommaso Masaccio

Tommaso Masaccio ( 1401 - 1428) was one of the first old masters to use the laws of scientific perspective in his works. One of the greatest innovative painters of the Early Renaissance.

Masaccio self-portrait 

According to Vasari, Masaccio was the best painter of his generation because of his lifelike figures and movements as well as a convincing sense of three dimensionality. Even though his career was cut short, his imprint on other artists was quite substantial. He was one of the first to use linear perspective in his painting by employing techniques such as vanishing point in art for the first time. He also stepped away from the International Gothic style to a much more natural looking mode which included perspective and chiaroscuro for the purpose of realism and humanism.

The San Giovenale Triptych

This piece of work for Masaccio was discovered in 1961 in a loft house next to the chapel of San Giovenale. It was said that it was hidden there in order to eliminate the possibility of it being found by the German occupation during WWII. It is most likely that this painting was probably the first original creation of Tommaso Masaccio. The central penal which shows the Madonna surrounded and enthroned by two angels and baby jesus eating a vine, as a symbol of the Eucharist. The left panel shows both Saint Bartholomew and Saint Blaise, while the right panel depicts Saint Anthony and Saint Juvenal. Both the left and right panels show signs of the influence of the 14th century models, while the complexity in the perspective of the central panel was revolutionary for that time being, when taking notice of the three dimensional solidity of the painting .

The painting Holy Trinity

This masterpiece of a fresco painting was is thought to have been created sometime between 1425 and 1427. It was one of Masaccio's final paintings before his death in 1428. The fresco is located along the middle of the basilica's left sisle. Although the configuration of this space has changed since this artwork was created, there are clear indications that the fresco was aligned very accurately in relationship with the straight lines and perspective arrangements of the room at that time in order to highlight the tromp l'oeil effect. There was also an alter which further emphasized the reality of the painting.

Madonna and Child

Tommaso Masaccio completed this painting in collaboration with his brother Giovanni and Andrea di Giusto. It is the central panel of the Pisa Altarpiece, which is a large multi-paneled in the St. Julian chapel owned by the notary giuliano di Colino in the church of Santa Maria del Carmine in Pisa. We notice that this painting has six figures in it. The Madonna is the largest figure in this painting and it is also centralized between the other figures which shows a sign of significance to the painting. Baby Jesus is seated on her lap while being fed grapes by his mother, as a symbol of his blood; like the red wine of the Communion, which indicates the realization of Christs eventual death.