Vaulting of the Tornabuoni Chapel 1490

This vault painting in the Tornabuoni Chapel was executed by Domenico Ghirlandaio in Florence. Immediately, you're drawn to the symmetrical arrangement, which is divided by the ribs into four segments. Each contains a singular figure set against a deep blue backdrop. The composition utilizes the cross-vaulted ceiling to frame each evangelist, creating a harmonious balance and a sense of divine order. Ghirlandaio masterfully uses color and light to enhance the form. Notice how the robes and skin tones contrast sharply with the dark blue, drawing your eye to the figures. The modeling of the figures creates a three-dimensional effect that makes them seem to float in space. This vault destabilizes established meanings through its blend of classical architectural form with religious iconography. The use of perspective, the symbolic color choices and the placement of figures challenges fixed meanings, inviting ongoing re-interpretation.