Condemnation of St Lawrence by the Emperor Valerian

This scene is the left half the fresco below the lunette on the east wall. The right half depicts the martyrdom of St Lawrence. The two are linked by the cornice which, although it changes in its detailing, is essentially common to both scenes.

The composition of Condemnation of St Lawrence by the Emperor Valerian owes much to Angelico’s earlier sacra conversazione. The wall broken into sections by pilasters, hung with a rich ornamental curtain and incorporating a lofty architectural throne, is familiar from the Annalena altarpiece of a couple of years before. Various soldiers and city worthies stand in a circle before the Emperor, helping to create a sense of depth without the assistance of any converging orthogonals in the foreground.