Saint Florian
c. 1473/1474
Medium
tempera on poplar panel
Dimensions
overall: 79.4 × 55 cm (31 1/4 × 21 5/8 in.) framed: 107.32 × 74.3 × 15.24 cm (42 1/4 × 29 1/4 × 6 in.)
Classification
Painting
Department
CIS-R
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Samuel H. Kress Collection
Accession Number
1939.1.227
Art Historical Context
Behold *Saint Florian*, a captivating tempera painting on poplar panel by Francesco del Cossa created around 1473–1474. This Ferrarese master of the Early Italian Renaissance, best known for his vibrant frescoes in Ferrara's Palazzo Schifano, crafted this devotional image during the height of the Este court's artistic patronage. Measuring about 79 x 55 cm, it likely served as part of an altarpiece private devotional ensemble, embodying the era's blend of spiritual piety and refined humanism. Del Cossa's mastery shines in his use of tempera, an egg-based medium that yields brilliant, jewel-lik...