Saint Peter and Simon Magus

Gozzoli's Saint Peter and Simon Magus from around 1440 depicts the confrontation between the apostle Peter and the magician Simon Magus, who claimed divine powers and offered to buy the gift of the Holy Spirit from the apostles — the origin of the word 'simony'. The scene likely formed part of a predella series illustrating Peter's apostolic ministry, and Gozzoli's treatment reflects his training under Fra Angelico: clear spatial staging, bright declarative color, and figures whose grace communicates moral certainty. These small predella panels, now dispersed among museum collections, would originally have formed part of a larger altarpiece whose imposing main panel set the devotional tone that the narrative scenes beneath illustrated through story.

The tempera on wood shows Gozzoli's early mastery of narrative composition with clear figure arrangement, expressive gesture, and the luminous tempera technique he learned in Fra Angelico's workshop.