About this artwork
This panel painting represents Saint Anthony Abbot, a fourth-century Egyptian hermit considered the founder of Christian monasticism. It was part of a major altarpiece commissioned by Cosimo de’ Medici for the high altar of the church of San Marco in Florence, a Dominican convent where the artist himself resided after he became a friar. Before the altarpiece was dismantled by the early 19th century, the central image was a large panel representing the Virgin Mary and infant Jesus with saints; below this a horizontal predella featured episodes from the lives of the Medici family’s patron saints, Cosmas (Cosimo’s namesake) and Damian. At each side were upright registers with 10 panels depicting individual saints standing on clouds, including this painting.
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Status
- On View, Gallery 204
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Department
- Painting and Sculpture of Europe
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Artist
- Fra Angelico
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Title
- Saint Anthony Abbot
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Place
- Italy (Artist's nationality:)
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Date
- 1440–1441
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Medium
- Tempera on panel
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Dimensions
- 39.4 × 14 cm (15 1/2 × 5 1/2 in.)
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Credit Line
- Bequest of Elizabeth Iglehart Blair
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Reference Number
- 2001.329
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IIIF Manifest
- https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/129756/manifest.json
Extended information about this artwork
Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.
