Walking down the Via Santa Monaca you will come to the church of Santa Maria del Carmine. This temple, built between 1268 and 1422, was destroyed by a major fire in 1771, one of the few areas that miraculously saved from the fire being the Cappella Brancacci.

This chapel is really the only prominent feature of the church. It was commissioned by Felipe Brancacci, an ancient Florentine ambassador to Egypt, who chose Masolino di Panicale to decorate it. Masolino began work on its splendid frescoes in the year 1424, aided by his pupil Masaccio. Shortly afterwards, the teacher had to leave for Budapest, so Masaccio was commissioned to continue the work himself. Masolino returned in 1427, though only to leave again, this time for Rome. On this journey he was accompanied by Masaccio, who died tragically in what is now the capital of Italy, at the age of 28. From that moment on it was Filippino Lippi who assumed responsibility for the decoration of the chapel. 

So, when you visit the beautiful Cappella Brancacci, let yourself be carried away by the magnificent frescoes, some of the most commonly admired by tourists visiting Florence. The paintings depict episodes from the life of Saint Peter. Pay special attention to the one located in the upper left, entitled "Expulsion from Paradise" This fresco, featuring the figures of Adam and Eve, was painted by Masaccio and is considered the first Renaissance painting. This is evidenced by the artist's wonderful use of chiaroscuro, the perspective technique, and expressivity and movement in the faces and clothes of the characters.