Chapter House

In the former convent annexed to the church of St. Nicholas, it is situated the famous Hall of the chapter, where you can admire the cycle of the Dominicans,  work that has allowed us to know and appreciate the artist Tommaso da Modena . The frescoes are placed under the wooden ceiling, below a band of decorative foliage, and they cover three walls and part of the fourth , where in the middle is depicted the Crucifixion .

The cycle has a representation of 40 famous people of the Dominican Order ,and it was painted between 1351 and 1352, as reported by an inscription underlying , which unfortunately today is greatly ruined. Among the figures also stand out personalities such as Pope Innocent V , Benedict XI , Cardinal Annibaldo Annibaldi , and also St. Dominic , St. Peter Martyr and St. Thomas Aquinas .

The Dominicans are represented in their cells, which all converge towards the scene of the Crucifixion , to emphasize the intense meaning of the painting. The characters are all depicted in performing typical tasks of the scholar , for example writing or reading.

The cells are constituted by two wooden walls which are welded together by a writing desk , with a awning in the background , pomegranate-colored or green. And it is the colour, rather than the perspective to create a third dimension in the fresco . Moreover it si very pronounced the boundary line that accompanies the different figures .

A key figurative element is the hat , which makes us understand the role of the Dominican portrayed.

Each figure has different characteristics ,from the age to the appearance of the face, and the expressions of the faces are exactly the ones, so varied and realistic , to draw the public's attention.

In addition, the artist enlivens the different scenes by adding various details , never seem before , such as glasses or a magnifying glass .

A common feature of these paintings is the description in detail of reality, and the uniqueness of the characters given by the facial features , which are probably drawn from life.

The room was partly damaged during an air raid in 1944 , but despite this, the frescoes were recovered and restored .