The Burial of Saint Martha
ca. 1460–70
Medium
Tempera and gold on wood
Dimensions
5 1/2 x 11 1/2 in. (14 x 29.2 cm)
Classification
Paintings
Department
European Paintings
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Adele L. Lehman, in memory of Arthur Lehman, 1965
Accession Number
65.181.7
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the serene glow of gold leaf, *The Burial of Saint Martha* Sano di Pietro (ano di Pietro di M), ca. 1460–70, captures a poignant moment from the life of biblical saint. This small tempera panel (5½ × 11½ in.), likely a predella from a larger Sienese altarpiece depicts Martha's funeral procession amid grieving women, solemn saints, and hovering angels. Sano, a prominent 15th-century artist from Siena, Italy, infused his work with the city's distinctive late Gothic style—elegant figures, intricate patterns, and a luminous quality that evokes spiritual transcendence. The use of tempera on woo...