Where can I see Altarpiece of Saint Jerome, Saint Martin and Saint Sebastian?

Altarpiece of Saint Jerome, Saint Martin and Saint Sebastian is held by Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya.

What movement is Altarpiece of Saint Jerome, Saint Martin and Saint Sebastian?

Altarpiece of Saint Jerome, Saint Martin and Saint Sebastian is associated with Northern Renaissance.

Artwork

Altarpiece of Saint Jerome, Saint Martin and Saint Sebastian

Altarpiece of Saint Jerome, Saint Martin and Saint Sebastian is an unspecified painting by the Northern Renaissance artist Jaume Ferrer II. It dates from 1450 and is held in the collection of the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya.

About this work

Overview

The work is part of the collection of the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya, where it is displayed as an example of mid‑15th‑century religious painting.

Created around 1450 by the Catalan painter Jaume Ferrer II, this small triptych functions as a devotional altarpiece. It brings together three saints—Jerome, Martin of Tours, and Sebastian—each occupying a separate panel set against a luminous gold ground. The work is part of the collection of the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya, where it is displayed as an example of mid‑15th‑century religious painting.

Subject & Meaning

The central panel presents Saint Jerome, identifiable by his red habit, a book, and a miniature architectural model that alludes to his scholarly activity and his role as a translator of the Bible. To his left, Saint Martin is shown in the act of cutting his cloak to share with a naked beggar, a visual reference to his famed charitable deed. The right‑hand panel depicts Saint Sebastian as a youthful soldier pierced by arrows, symbolising his martyrdom and steadfast faith.

Technique & Style

Executed in tempera on panel, the composition relies on a flat gold background that heightens the vividness of the saturated reds and blues. Figures are rendered with a rigid, frontal posture typical of International Gothic art, emphasizing symbolic clarity over naturalistic space. The use of bright pigments against the gold creates a striking contrast that draws the viewer's eye to each saint's distinctive attributes.

History & Provenance

The altarpiece was likely commissioned for a private chapel or small church in the mid‑15th century, reflecting the devotional practices of the period in Catalonia. It entered the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya's holdings in the 20th century, where it has been conserved and studied as part of the museum's medieval collection, providing insight into regional artistic production and iconography.