Fra Angelico · Luca Signorelli · 1447–1504
Cappella di San Brizio
The great cycle of the Last Days and the Last Judgement: one of the pinnacles of the Italian Renaissance in the heart of Orvieto Cathedral.
The Renaissance Masterpiece
A work in dialogue with Michelangelo
Inside Orvieto Cathedral opens the Cappella di San Brizio (Chapel of San Brizio), famous for its fresco cycle of the Last Days, begun by Fra Angelico in 1447 and completed by Luca Signorelli between 1499 and 1504.
Art historians recognize in these images a fundamental source of inspiration for Michelangelo, above all in the anatomical power of the bodies and in the composition of the Judgement scenes.
1447
Fra Angelico Begins the Work
In 1396 the Orvieto citizen Tommaso di Micheluccio left a bequest in his will for the building of a chapel dedicated to the Assumption. The chapel, completed in 1444, took the name of San Brizio after the panel of the Madonna di San Brizio was moved there in 1622.
On 14 June 1447 the Opera del Duomo signed the contract with Fra Angelico to fresco the chapel on the theme of the Last Judgement. Angelico painted Christ the Judge and the segment of the Prophets on the vault before leaving for Rome.
The two masters appear in the frescoes as witnesses to the great eschatological narrative.
1499–1504
Luca Signorelli Completes the Masterpiece
On 5 April 1499 the Fabbrica reached an agreement with Luca Signorelli to continue the work. On 27 April 1500, once the vault decoration was finished, a second contract entrusted him with the whole chapel.
On the walls Signorelli painted the scenes of the Sermon of the Antichrist, the End of the World and the Last Judgement, creating one of the most powerful cycles in Renaissance painting.
The walls and vaults of the chapel have been digitised with 10,000 ultra-high-definition shots and can also be explored virtually.
The Sermon of the Antichrist is one of the most celebrated images of the whole cycle.
Practical Information
How to Visit the Chapel
During liturgical celebrations at the high altar and in the Cappella di San Brizio, tourist visits are not permitted. Access to the chapel follows rules set by the Opera del Duomo, which also govern guided visits, group bookings and the alternation between groups and individual visitors.
Opening hours and tickets may change during the year. Up-to-date information is always published on the official channels of the Opera del Duomo.
Official tickets → Bookings and enquiries →Frequently asked questions