Altarpiece with Christ, Saint John the Baptist, and Saint Margaret
1434
Medium
Marble (Carrara marble)
Dimensions
Overall: 72 x 80 x 5 in., 1614lb. (182.9 x 203.2 x 12.7 cm, 732.1kg) a: central panel: 505lb. (229066.5g) b: Top center: 210lb. (95255.4g) c: Saint John (L): 329lb. (149233.4g) d: Saint Margaret (R): 194lb. (87997.8g) e: Kneeling Angel: 121lb. (54885.2g) f: Bottom Central Panel: 181lb. (82101.1g) g: Plinth (L): 28lb. (12700.7g) h: Modern Plinth (R): 28lb. (12700.7g) i: Angel Wing (Modern): 18lb. (8164.7g)
Classification
Sculpture
Culture
Italian
Department
The Cloisters
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Cloisters Collection, 1962
Accession Number
62.128a-i
Tags
Art Historical Context
Created in 1434 by the Italian sculptor Andrea da Giona, this marble altarpiece stands as a striking example of early fifteenth-century religious sculpture. Carved from prized Carrara marble, the work features a central image of flanked by Saint John the Baptist and Saint Margaret, along with attendant angels. Its substantial scale—measuring over six feet wide—suggests it was designed for a prominent position above an altar, where the luminous white stone would have caught the light of candles and enhanced the devotional experience for worshippers. The altarpiece reflects the transitional art...