Santa Maria Novella Complex
Santa Maria Novella is a fundamental chapter in the history of the city of Florence, whose inhabitants have always supported the life of the convent through bequests, commissions, and patronage. The monumental complex houses numerous masterpieces by the greatest artists of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, including Giotto, Masaccio, Filippo Brunelleschi, Paolo Uccello, Domenico Ghirlandaio, and Filippino Lippi.
In addition to the Basilica, it is possible to visit the spaces of the Dominican convent, starting with the famous Green Cloister, the ancient chapter house, better known as the Spanish Chapel, whose fresco cycle—frescoed by Andrea di Bonaiuto—stands as one of the finest and most spectacular representations of the Dominican mission. Finally, the Great Cloister, which houses an extraordinary series of frescoes by the major painters of the 16th-century Florentine Academy.
Visits
duration of 1h 30
For visits to the Museo Novecento, please contact the educational area of MUS.e and write to info@musefirenze.it or call 055-2768224
On the margin, Arabs and Africans in Santa Maria Novella
A tour of the Dominican complex, which was already one of the city's key sites between the 14th and 15th centuries, hosting the Council between the Eastern and Western Churches in 1439. Observing frescoes by Andrea Bonaiuti, Domenico Ghirlandaio, and Filippino Lippi, we will focus on the often overlooked figures of Arabs and Africans. These figures, on the margins of society, offer us insights into the works of art, starting with a reflection on interreligious and intercultural relations in Florence's past.
With the scientific advice of Jonathan Nelson, Professor of Art History