Artwork

Christ on the Cross with Saints Vincent Ferrer, John the Baptist, Mark and Antoninus

Christ on the Cross with Saints Vincent Ferrer, John the Baptist, Mark and Antoninus, by Master of the Fiesole Epiphany, unspecified, 1496
Christ on the Cross with Saints Vincent Ferrer, John the Baptist, Mark and Antoninus, by Master of the Fiesole Epiphany, unspecified, 1496

Christ on the Cross with Saints Vincent Ferrer, John the Baptist, Mark and Antoninus is an unspecified painting by Master of the Fiesole Epiphany. It dates from 1496 and is held in the collection of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1496, this panel presents the crucifixion of Christ surrounded by four saints—Vincent Ferrer, John the Baptist, Mark and Antoninus. The central figure of Jesus is shown on a wooden cross, clothed in a dark robe edged with gold and crowned with thorns, while the surrounding figures occupy a serene sky dotted with light clouds.

Subject & Meaning

The composition emphasizes the theological link between the Passion and the intercession of the accompanying saints. John the Baptist kneels with his characteristic staff, while the other three saints, each identifiable by their traditional attributes, flank the cross, underscoring their roles as mediators and exemplars of piety within the devotional context.

Technique & Style

Executed in tempera on panel, the work displays meticulous attention to fabric texture and ornamental detail, particularly in the richly patterned vestments and the gilded trim of the cross. The palette is restrained, dominated by earth tones and subdued gold, while the figures are rendered with a gentle modeling that reflects the influence of Florentine workshops of the late 15th century.

History & Provenance

The panel is attributed to the anonymous Master of the Fiesole Epiphany, a Florentine painter active from the mid‑1470s to at least 1496. In 1967 Everett Fahy linked the hand to a related Epiphany panel in Fiesole, suggesting the artist may be Filippo di Giuliano, who operated a workshop that absorbed stylistic currents from Cosimo Rosselli and Jacopo del Sellaio.

Context

The painting belongs to a period when Florentine devotional art frequently combined narrative crucifixion scenes with a cadre of saints to enhance personal meditation. Its compositional balance and restrained coloration reflect broader trends in late Quattrocento religious panels, where individual saintly identities were integrated to reinforce communal worship practices.

Artist & collection

Artist

Master of the Fiesole Epiphany

Master of the Fiesole Epiphany (c. 1400-1450 – after 1496) was an Italian painter active from 1475 to 1496, probably from Florence. This Italian master was identified by the American art historian Everett Fahy who…

Reviews