tribute money tribute money italian renaissance painter located chapel florence completed senior collaborator painted widely considered best work vital development renaissance art painting cycle life describes scene gospel matthew jesus directs peter find coin mouth fish order pay temple tax owes importance particular revolutionary use perspective suffered great damage centuries creation chapel went thorough restoration 1980s chapel chapel founded chapel passed nephew time commissioned painter walls series life peter saint founder patron saint family choice reflected support roman great point joined artist eighteen years younger eventually left hungary rome leaving completion chapel chapel completed joined rome work finished considered work entirely centuries greatly altered damaged upper levels painted artist covering work church ruined fire chapel structurally undamaged fire suffered great damages years scale restoration chapel undertaken restoring approximately original state paintings suffered damage particularly parts painted tribute money leaves trees gone christ lost original brilliance subject matter scene depicted tribute money drawn matthew come received tribute money came peter said master pay tribute yes come house jesus prevented saying thou simon kings earth custom tribute children strangers peter unto strangers jesus unto children free notwithstanding thou sea cast hook fish thou opened mouth thou find piece money unto thee story found matthew tax collector according passage christian justification legitimacy secular authority seen conjunction passage render unto story matthew group try trick christ asking tribute unto pointing image coin replies render unto things unto god things god composition painting somewhat biblical story tax collector confronts group christ disciples entire scene takes place outdoors story told parts occur narrative logic maintained central scene tax collector demanding tribute head christ point painting drawing eyes spectator christ peter point left hand painting scene takes place middle background peter taking money mouth fish final scene peter pays tax collector right set apart framework architectural structure work maintains heavy importance world widely believed painting fall rome use scientific linear point point case christ paintings away use head cluster technique employed earlier artists walk painting walk jesus christ created painting ease christ disciples placed reflecting shape chapel tax collector hand stands outside holy space group holy men dressed entirely robes pink blue official wears shorter striking colour adds expressed gestures way contrast achieved way central scene right tax collector copying exactly peter seen opposite angle gives dimensional quality figures allowing spectator view sides style compared contemporaries like pioneer renaissance particularly use single point perspective technique unique use atmospheric aerial perspective mountains background figure peter left paler objects foreground creating illusion depth technique known ancient rome considered lost use light revolutionary earlier artists like applied flat neutral light source light specific location outside picture casting figures light shadow created effect bodies dimensional shapes praised variety facial depictions case painting somewhat diminished fact work unfinished time death heads jesus peter painted senior collaborator painted corresponding perspective work chapel healing raising interpretations theories proposed specific subject common theme art history chosen suggestion sees painting justification called new form income tax likely explanation stand lose new taxation probably opponents probable explanation links painting pope martin agreement church subjected state tax money found fish mouth seen expression florence wealth came sea silk merchant involved mediterranean trade member city central understanding painting entire series relationship city florence rome florence time war milan needed support pope seen context pro papal policy attempt roman association bishop rome pope story peter clearly singled disciples strong connection christ seen christ words thee peter appears majestic energetic figure christ performs work contrast shape left points forward role christ vicar earth tribute money represents transitional scene chapel christ bidding peter goes disciple master disciples identified degree certainty peter grey hair beard blue yellow attire john young man standing christ john head reminiscent roman sculptures reflected similar face disciple right person disciple assumed dark sinister face mirrors tax collector speculated face far right self portrait thomas
The Tribute Money (Masaccio)