PIERO della FRANCESCA (b. 1416, Borgo San Sepolcro, d. 1492, Borgo San Sepolcro) Polyptych of Saint Augustine 1460-70 Oil and tempera on panel Panels are in different museums Saint John the Evangelist 1460 x cm Frick Collection, New York Saint Nicholas of Tolentino 1465 133 x 60 cm Museo Poldi Pezzoli, Milan In 1454 Piero agreed to paint polyptych for the Augustinians of Borgo San Sepolcro; the painting was to be finished within eight years and was intended for their monastery. As usual, the work was not completed until much later. The polyptych later was repla
PIERO della FRANCESCA (b. 1416, Borgo San Sepolcro, d. 1492, Borgo San Sepolcro) Polyptych of Saint Augustine 1460-70 Oil and tempera on panel Panels are in different museums Saint John the Evangelist 1460 x cm Frick Collection, New York Saint Nicholas of Tolentino 1465 133 x 60 cm Museo Poldi Pezzoli, Milan In 1454 Piero agreed to paint polyptych for the Augustinians of Borgo San Sepolcro; the painting was to be finished within eight years and was intended for their monastery. As usual, the work was not completed until much later. The polyptych later was replaced and dimembered. It was only in this century that scholars succeeded in reconstructing this work. Among the parts of the polyptych that have unfortunately not survived there is also the central panel. The panels that originally formed the predella are in the Frick Collection in New York. The figures of four saints are the outer decorations. Against a background which is a realistically constructed space with a marble ballustrade stands the figure of St John. It is dynsmic yet elegant. His lined face, surrounded by white hair, his bony hand weighted down by the heavy book, even the ornate borders of the garment that unexpectedly shows through under the wide cloak, are elements that stand out and appear to force their way through Piero's earlier sense of measure. St Nicholas of Tolentino is a more original figure: the austere and calm features of his round face almost create a the effect of a portrait. *** Keywords: ************* Author: PIERO della FRANCESCA Title: Polyptych of Saint Augustine Time-line: 1451-1500 School: Italian Form: painting Type: religious
Size: 2604px × 2964px
Photo credit: © Carlo Bollo / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: artwork, della, francesca, paint, painter, paintings, piero
