Fresco Work in the ‘Company Chapel’

Abstract

Chapter Three considers whether or not Antonio di Francesco di Jacopo di Lapo steered the commission to Francesco di Bartolomeo Alfei to fresco the ‘company chapel’. The terms ‘old’ and ‘new’ in company registers are analysed in an attempt to distinguish between different chapel spaces. The chapter shows how several sites and tituli were established over time and chapels with varying ease of access assumed different functions. Charting reconstruction work on the old hospital site against receipts in respect of the commission to Francesco di Bartolomeo Alfei, a case is developed in support of the hypothesis that the artist was employed to fresco the old hospital chapel. This stimulates further speculation that the brief was to reflect contemporary decorations in the hospital of Santa Maria della Scala.