MASACCIO , 1401 - 1428/9?

Saints Jerome and John the Baptist

Date: about 1428-9

Medium: Egg tempera on poplar

Dimensions: 125 x 58.9 cm

Acquisition credit: Bought with a contribution from the National Art Collections Fund, 1950

This picture and 'Pope Gregory the Great (?) and Matthias' are two sides of a single panel that was divided in two. The panel had been one wing of a double-sided triptych in Santa Maria Maggiore, Rome. The other wing of the triptych, also sawn in half, showed Saints Peter and Paul on one side and Saint John the Evangelist (?) and Saint Martin on the other. One central panel was of the Assumption of the Virgin while the other showed the Miracle of the Snow, and the founding of Santa Maria Maggiore.

Saint John's cross is unusual in that it is attached to a column. This may be a reference to the Colonna arms ('colonna' meaning column in Italian). Pope Martin V, who died in 1431, was a member of the Colonna family and he was probably involved in the commission of this work.

Masolino completed the altarpiece after Masaccio's death in Rome in 1428.

Themes

Colours

Keywords

Clothing, People, Religion, Holding, Standing, Costumes, Headwear, Colour, Adults, Man, Men, Christianity, Religious, Lion, Robes, Hat, Pink, Red, Beard, Beards, 2 People, Christian, Cross, Crucifix, Halos, Saints, Vertical, Animal, Wearing, Clothes, Hold, Holds, Head Wear, Color, Colours, Colors, Adult, Male, Males, Robe, Facial Hair, Two people, 2, Two, Two persons, Halo, Haloes, aureola, aureole, nimbus, nimbi, nimbuses, Saint, Stand, Stands, Saint Jerome, John the Baptist, book

Buy a print

Click here to buy a print of this image.

This image is part of the group:

"Santa Maria Maggiore Altarpiece"

Other images in group:

NG5962

A Pope (Saint Gregory?) and Saint Matthias

NG5963

Image availability