Wandered, in the best sense of the word,
over to Cappella Brancacci
after a deliciously traditional
Italian lunch at Casalinga.
The chapel was enjoyably uncrowded
so I was able to soak in the piety
of the frescoes by myself. But,
observing others, I was equally fascinated
to see the absolutely universal appeal
(if you can call it that)
of gazing upon The Expulsion,
Masaccio's evocative rendition
of A&E being forced from Eden,
and dragging all Christian souls
along with them forever after.
It's a really powerful statement:
Obey or be punished.
On the opposite wall hangs
Masolino's complementary
painting of The Temptation,
which shows Adam and Eve
sort of weighing their options
and staunchly upright, though
appearing somewhat bland.
No one I saw today cared a bit
about Masolino's scene;
the focus was all about contemplating
the expulsion from paradise,
and all it's subsequent
earthly dread,
and wondering how the heck
to rectify things.
For the church,
essentially a government
leading its flock
at the time his seemingly
propagandistic Expulsion
was executed (c. 1425),
Masaccio surely hit a home run.
It's one scary scene. . .