The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, United States.
Location History:
Originally housed in the Alessandri Chapel (Cappellone), San Pier Maggiore, Florence, until 1784, after which it was returned to the Alessandri family and kept at Palazzo Alessandri, Borgo degli Albizzi, Florence. It remained in the family's possession, later under Count Cosimo degli Alessandri, until 1915, when it was acquired by the art dealer Luigi Grassi of Florence and subsequently sold to The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
This piece titled "Saint Peter and Simon Magus" is part of a four-part altar-piece commissioned by the Alessandri family in Florence. The scene is painted on a wood panel with tempera paints by the artist Benozzo Gozzoli, one of the leading artists active in Italy during the fifteenth century Renaissance. Quattrocento Renaissance focused on humanism, anatomical studies, proportional accuracy, and a realistic depiction of the subject matter. Gozzoli, in this painting depicted these features remarkably. This scene narrates the story of Simon Magus and Saint Peter, an ancient Christian legend about a divine and dramatic showdown in Rome. In the scene, Emperor Nero is sat on throne-like chair on the right while his court gentry is standing behind him. The left side presents Saint Peter and Saint Paul with halos over their head, they too are surrounded by a gentry of men behind them. Everyone in this scene is a spectator to a showdown unfolding in front of them. For context; according to biblical mythology, Simon Magus was a deceptive magician favoured by Emperor Nero. The former claimed to have divine powers however he used the aid of demons to perform his various magic tricks. When challenged by Saint Peter, Simon Magus prepares for a showdown where he actually levitates in the air with the help of demonic powers. On the other hand, Saint Paul falls to his knees and prays fervently, while Saint Peter commands the demons in the sky to cease supporting Simon in the name of Jesus. Upon this, the demons let Simon fall to his death as they release him from their grasp. This scene portrays this episode with an outstanding artistic depiction. In the upper panel, Simon Magus is portrayed being supported by four demons facilitating his levitation in the sky. Whereas, Saint Peter is portrayed with his arm outstretched in a commanding gesture on the left. Saint Paul is portrayed praying with his hands cojoined. Furthermore, the lower panel depicts fallen Simon with blood around his face and body. In the background, the court gentry and Emperor Nero are seemingly shocked by this instance and therefore depicted with astonished gestures and body language. The overall color palette of this scene is bright. Gozzoli has used linear perspective to enhance the visual spatiality of this painting, while employing soft transition between colors to avoid dramatic contrast. This painting is an exceptional example of religious narrative depictions highly popular during the fifteenth century Renaissance.
Saint Peter and Simon Magus portrays the aftermath of Simon Magus’s failed attempt to prove his point. The painting is made in such a way that the viewer can see the fall of the Simon Magus – the trickster and the charlatan. Simon Magus lies on the ground in the front left corner, and his dramatic pose, as well as the small pool of blood, draws attention to him. At the same time, the apostle Peter, shown on the left with a shining halo and raised hand, becomes the center of the composition. The kneeling figure adds to the overall impression of devotion and prayer. On the right, the Roman emperor sits in front of his soldiers, symbolizing the peak of the worldly powers, while Peter is portrayed in the upper part of the plate as an intermediary between the earth and heaven. The image of the massive column and the architectural fragment in the background add depth to the plot. A wooden tower or scaffold in the center is also symbolic because it represents the false beliefs and thoughts of Simon Magus, which were shattered and ridiculed in the face of St. Peter’s true faith.
