San Giovanni Valdarno, a town half way between Florence and Arezzo, has come up with a brilliant idea to celebrate its 700th anniversary this year. Until mid-May it is holding the first exhibition of the paintings of Giovanni de Ser Giovanni (John son of Mr John), better known as Lo Scheggia which means Skinny or The Chip.
It might seem late in the day for Lo Scheggia's first exhibition seeing that he lived from 1406 to 1486. But the exhibition's curator, Lucio Belloci, a Siena University art historian, has identified as Lo Scheggia's, paintings previously attributed to various anonymous artists. This has enabled Lo Scheggia to acquire an artistic profile as never before.
The exhibition is delightful and its setting is in itself interesting. It is in the house of Masaccio, Lo Scheggia's elder brother, a major figure in Renaissance art as is best testified by his Adam and Eve sequence in the Brancacci chapel in the Carmelite church of Florence. Lo Scheggia, a notable minor painter, was a chip off the old block of his elder brother.
Documentation exists for all the changes of ownership of Masaccio's house since it was acquired by his father, a notary. It is a spacious three-storey building on central Corso Italia which is usually used now for contemporary art exhibitions.
This is appropriate as Masaccio was only the most renowned of an artistic dynasty: his brother-in-law Mariotto Di Cristofani and Lo Sheggia's son Anton-francesco were also artists.
Masaccio is famous for his powerful figures, but it is their gracefulness and colour which makes Lo Scheggia's work attractive.
Masaccio died in Rome, at 26, from unknown causes, while Lo Scheggia lived to 80. He did at least part of his apprenticeship with his more famous brother, then had his own workshop in Florence, handling commissions from leading families. For instance, he painted a large wooden platter in 1449 for the birth of Lorenzo the Magnificent which shows men on horseback saluting Fame. It is the centrepiece of the exhibition.
Baptismal gifts were taken on such decorated platters which were then kept as works of art. Lorenzo kept this one all his life. After his death in 1492 it was valued at 10 golden florins, but in 1994 was sold at Sotheby's for between three and four million dollars. Previously attributed to Piero della Francesca, it has been brought from the New York Metropolitan Art Museum for the exhibition, which will not travel.
Another key exhibit is a scene of fashionably dressed Florentines dancing at what seems to be a wedding feast. This was thought to be one side of a glory box, but now it is said to have hung on a wall, perhaps in a Medici palace. It is intriguing for its exact depiction of elegant Florentines more than 500 years ago.
Another insight into life at that time is provided by a scene of three men engaged in a game which is thought to have consisted of knocking off opponents' headpieces.
As Florence became a great banking-commercial power, San Giovanni was established in the valley of the Arno river, on its southern frontier. It was a fortress town in a narrow valley and was fortunate to have as town planner a great architect, Arnolfo Di Cambio. It is a rectangular grid of streets, some of them very narrow but opening out on a handsome square which has as its free-standing centre piece Arnolfo's Palace. This is the Town Hall, plastered, from the 14th century onwards, with escutcheons of noble families. On Saturdays, market day, it is the centre of a lively scene.
Behind it on the same square is the basilica of Santa Maria delle Grazie. Unfortunately it has been destroyed and rebuilt many times but its museum is worth visiting for a fine painting by Beato Angelico. It is also virtually a Masaccio-family gallery: there are no works by Masaccio himself in San Giovanni but the gallery has works by his three painter relatives. In the San Lorenzo church by the basilica is a faded fresco by Lo Scheggia.
The Brother of Masaccio is at Casa Masaccio, Corso Italia, No 83, San Giovannni Valdarno. Not open Mondays. Closes 16th May. A train runs hourly from Florence to the town, on the line to Arezzo-Chiusi.