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What subjects appeared in the paintings Fra Angelico made for the silver chest at Santissima Annunziata?
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Fra Angelico
Madonna of Humility, tempera on panel by Fra Angelico, c. 1440; in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.
For the silver chest in the sanctuary of the church of Santissima Annunziata in Florence, Fra Angelico created a cycle of 35 paintings depicting scenes from the life of Christ and other subjects.1
While the authenticity of these works is sometimes disputed, scholars attribute several specific scenes to Fra Angelico due to their characteristic bright spontaneity, spatial depth, and landscape treatment. These include:
- Massacre of the Innocents1
- Flight into Egypt1
- Presentation in the Temple1
The remaining works in the cycle are often considered to be the work of his pupils, as they lack the distinct poetic quality found in the master's own hand.1