Saint Lawrence Receiving the Treasures of the Church from Pope Sixtus II

Fra Angelico would teach visitors to the Saint Nicholas V Chapel about the lives of Saint Stephen and Saint Lawrence with a series of frescoes which captured some important moments in their respective journeys to martyrdom. The specific item found here was titled Saint Lawrence Receiving the Treasures of the Church from Pope Sixtus II.

Within this scene we find Saint Lawrence meeting Pope Sixtus II. They are joined by a number of other figures who watch on during this exchange of treasures. Behind them all is then a stone building with a number of different rooms and architectural features. We see some consistently spaced arch ways at the back and some small windows with gated bars running vertically. There is also a small slither of blue sky showing through at the very top, with the tips of trees visible. It is hard to be sure as to how bright the sky originally would have been because of how this fresco has been cleaned several times in the years that have passed since. That might explain why elements in the foreground are now considerably brighter, with them perhaps receiving more attention from preservers over the centuries, with this piece originally completed in the 1440s.

The artist was able to accomplish great levels of detail across this series of frescoes by calling upon the services of a number of his trusted assistants. Otherwise it simply would not have been possible to complete the overall project within the timeframe of just a few years. This particular painting is another fine example of how Fra Angelico had mastered the use of architecture within art, able to portray stone in a highly realistic manner, as well as capturing different decorative touches which bring these background elements to life. This work also uses the bright colours which persist throughout the series, with clothing often making use of tones of green, blue and reddish pinks. These brought a charming finish to the chapel and underlined why it was Fra Angelico who had been gifted the commission in the first place.

The artist spent several years working within the Chapel, though it was still impressive to produce so many frescoes within that period, thanks in part to the support of his studio. Some of the other items within this series were the likes of Ordination of Saint Lawrence, Expulsion and the Stoning of Saint Stephen and also Saint Stephen Preaching. There was a morale element on display here, where one should remember and appreciate the sacrifices made by others in order for man to be where it is today. Clearly the Pope felt that these two saints were the ideal figures to communicate certain events and values that he felt to be particularly important but it was the artists who planned and executed these stunning compositions.