Frescoes in the Cappella Niccolina of the Palazzi Pontifici in Vatican (1447-49): Frescoes on the west wall of the Cappella Niccolina

The walls of the chapel present the lives of the two archdeacons in two registers. The upper register, composed of three lunettes, is devoted to St Stephen; the lower one, with rectangular compartments, is given to St Lawrence, who is thus clearly given precedence. The descriptions from the career of St Stephen follow the Golden Legend, those of St Lawrence are patterned after the older cycles in his Roman tomb church of San Lorenzo fuori le Mura.

The two picture cycles begin on the west wall which also has two original window. In the lunette, St Peter, prince of the apostles, is anointing St Stephen, deacon of the church. In the smaller compartment of the lower register, between the two windows, St Sixtus is bestowing the same office on St Lawrence. This lunette also presents a second scene of Stephen distributing alms to the poor.