Lawrence de Medici was a seasoned expert in art and quickly noticed the talent of his protégée, especially since the Lippi family was well-known throughout Florence for many years and for many different reasons. Filippino’s father – Filippo Lippi became famous not only because of his great painting talent but also a rather unusual for a Carmelite friar, unbridled character and amorousness. It is enough that the story of his love conquests ended quite well, with a great input from the de Medici family. After the birth of his son (the very Filippino), Filippo was released from his religious vows by Pope Pius II, along with his love – the nun Lucrezia Buti.

The popular, diligent and skilled Filippino Lippi was already held in great esteem in Florence, when he was called to Rome. His stay in the Eternal City had to make a great impression on him. Not because of contemporary art, since in that field the city on the Tiber could not compete with Florence, but because of ancient art, which was being uncovered in Rome at that time with great fervor. Ancient sculptures, fragments of architectural decorations and adorning elements, were for Filippino, a new quality, which he used in the decoration of the chapel, which was commissioned by the protector of the Order of the Dominicans, cardinal Carafa, who in this way was preparing a location for his eternal slumber. Let us devote a few words to him. During the pontificate of Pope Sixtus IV, this church dignitary was given the prestigious post of papal legate in Naples, while in 1471 he also became the admiral of the papal fleet, which was tasked with dealing with the Turks. After two years the cardinal was once again welcomed in Rome, during a triumphant march organized for him, which honored his military accomplishments, which however, did absolutely nothing and did not even weaken the enemy. Among spoils of the war, which Carafa brought, there were twelve camels and twenty-five prisoners in turbans and colorful robes, looking as if they came straight out of a fairy tale, who marched through the city all the way to the gates of St. Peter’s Basilica. The memory of this military adventure had to leave a mark on the cardinal, since its traces can be found during the careful study of the frescoes in the chapel. Its decoration combines two themes which are especially important to the founder. It was to immortalize Carafa himself as well as to honor St. Thomas Aquinas – the patron of the Order of the Dominicans, from which Carafa came. The main wall depicts a rather popular topic of painting at that time – The Annunciation. The central scene was exposed by the artist in a special way, by adding a decorative framing. Here, in front of the Virgin Mary we have the kneeling cardinal Carafa, with St. Thomas Aquinas standing behind him, as if he was protecting the kneeling dignitary. It seems that both of them are not only noticed by the Virgin Mary but also blessed by her and on top of that at the moment, which was for the Church and even for all of Christianity, one of the most important – the moment when the Archangel Gabriel brings her the joyous news that she will become the mother of Christ. The angel has not even managed to place his foot on the floor, when the third protagonist of this event, God the Father – as a gust of wind, with great force carrying  a dove (the Holy Spirit) – moves towards her. With the corner of her eye the Virgin Mary appears to notice something really important, however it would be unfit to turn her gaze away from the dignified donors, who await her protection with attention, directing their insistent gaze towards her. And it is at this very moment of indecisiveness and hesitation – to turn around or not – when she was captured by Filippino Lippi. When we take a look at the interior of the room shown on the fresco, on the left we will notice the cardinal’s coat of arms (white stripes on a red background) – an element which can be seen in several other places in the chapel. It suggests, that the Annunciation happened in the cardinal’s chambers. There can be no doubt, since behind the curtain (seen behind the Virgin Mary), on the shelf  we will notice books and carafes, one of them containing an olive branch. It may be assumed that they refer to the virtues of the Virgin Mary herself, were it not for the fact, that Carafa was a known bibliophile, while a carafe with an olive branch constitutes a sort of a riddle referring to the name (Olivarius) and surname (Carafa), the founder of this chapel. Was the cardinal aware, just how far the painter had intruded into sacrum – we do not know, but we can be certain that Filippino Lippi created a motif unknown at that time. Some interpret this rather unusual scene of blatant participation in the Annunciation as a desire to accentuate the role of the Church, represented by St. Thomas and cardinal Carafa, in the act of salvation, which takes place thanks to the protection of the saints and imitating their lifestyles. Perhaps that was what the painter had in mind, but can we be certain?

In the background, as if simultaneously to the scene of the Annunciation, the death of the Virgin Mary is shown, an empty tomb and the grief of the eleven apostles directing their gaze towards the sky. There – on a cloud, surrounded by angels playing instruments – is the Virgin Mary. It is worth taking a closer look at the scenes in the background, which with appropriate finesse were created by Filippino. Behind the apostles a rocky landscape stretches, enriched by fable-like castles with soaring towers. There, we will also notice mule-drawn carriages, a giraffe and even a lion as well as men in turbans who seem to be fleeing a fortified city. There can be no doubt, that these refer to the oriental memories of the cardinal as well as to the aforementioned and celebrated twenty years ago, triumph.

The right side of the chapel is devoted to the battle with heresy which – as we know – Dominicans were devoted to in a particular way. From within their ranks came inquisitors and members of the Roman Inquisition, and they themselves, by calling themselves the “hounds of the Lord” (Latin – Domini canes), combated all form of insubordination in face of the Roman Catholic doctrine. Their patron, Tomas Aquinas, is seated in a central place, holding a book in his hand with the inscription Sapientiam sapientum perdam (I will destroy the wisdom of the wise). He is accompanied by four women – the personifications of Philosophy, Theology, Dialectic, and Grammar. At the feet of the Father of the Church, lies the personification of sin, by some identified with the Arabic (discovered anew at this time), philosopher Averroes, with the inscription Sapientia vincit malitiam (Wisdom conquers malice). It is, of course, a reference to the work of the Dominicans themselves, preaching that, thanks to science we are able to defeat heresy. On the sides in the foreground, there is a large group, of those considered heretics by the Church, men, which seems especially interesting since in Catholic paintings it is extremely rare that so much attention is devoted to enemies of the doctrine, and even rarer to portray them. There, we will see, among others – on the left – Arius (Arianism), with grey hair and yellow robe, while on the right – Sabellius (in a red cape), behind him Mani (with a finger on his lips) and Eutyches, with a pearl earring. It is their works, as well as those of other heretics visible in the scene, that are lying on the ground, at the feet of the pedestal, awaiting to be burned.

In this group, which is made up of figures with clearly defined facial features, some researchers also see some contemporaries of the cardinal. On the right is a Dominican, most likely the prior of the order, Gioacchino Torriani, on the left (with a scepter) – the commander of the papal armies, Count Niccolò Orsini. From the balcony onlookers view this event, directing our attention to an equally interesting background of the fresco. On the left, we will notice the Equestrian Statue of Marcus Aurelius, which in those times was located on the courtyard of the Lateran Palace, on the right, on the other hand, the meanders of the Tiber, shown in a rather fancy way. Both of these scenes are interpreted by the researchers as a memory of the military escapade of Carafa. It is from the port on the Tiber, situated near the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls (San Paolo fuori le mura), that the cardinal once set out against the Turks, seen off by the pope himself, returning by the Porta San Giovanni gate not far from the Lateran. The association with Emperor Marcus Aurelius and his escapades against the barbarians is clear. In the lunettes we will notice key scenes from the life of St. Thomas. The frieze surrounding the scene is worthy of our attention. Its elements were taken from Roman decorations (grotesques, putti, trayles, candelabras), but what is more interesting, in the upper part, Christian elements were introduced (candlestick, mitre, books, censer, monstrance), in this way creating a completely new, competitive for antiquity iconography.

Lifting our head, we will, in addition notice the decoration of the vault – these are four Sibyls, captured in a perspective foreshortening. And it is they, as the tellers of truth, who hold in their hands cartouches with quotes from the writings of St. Thomas Aquinas.

The grand opening of the chapel took place exactly on the Feast of the Annunciation (25 March) in 1493, and it was attended by Pope Alexander VI. It definitely had to make a great impression. The combination used in it, of real architecture, using anew the form of the triumphant arch and ancient capitols, as well as introducing architectural elements into painting, created a completely new quality in Rome. And that is even without mentioning the far-stretching landscapes, transporting the viewer into the fable world of illusion, while also removing the borders between the real and the imaginary.

However, this impression will be disturbed by the funerary monument of Pope Paul IV from the Carafa family, the nephew of cardinal Oliviero, placed here in 1559. Initially this wall was also filled with frescoes depicting – according to Giorgio Vasari – the struggle of virtue with vice, meaning the so-called psychomachy. This wall was in the past opened up by an arcade leading to a small chapel, in which the sarcophagus of cardinal Carafa was to be placed. This ultimately did not take place, and the earthly remains of the dignitary were laid to rest in a cathedral in Naples. Still, the chapel bearing his name and commemorating both him and his foundation is one of the most exquisite pearls of Renaissance art in the city.