Saints Nicholas of Tolentino, Roch, Sebastian, and Bernardino of Siena, with Kneeling Donors

The panel features Saints Nicholas of Tolentino, Roch, Sebastian, and Bernardino of Siena, explicitly identified by an inscription as "defenders against the pestilence." Roch is identifiable by the plague ulcer on his thigh, while Sebastian holds an arrow and a martyr's palm. Below these intercessors, two small kneeling figures represent the donors, seeking divine protection.

Angels carrying spears hover above a distant town, likely Pisa, symbolizing the divine judgment or disease from which the patrons implored deliverance.

Gozzoli executed this work using tempera and gold, originally on a wood panel. Measuring approximately 76.5 by 59.7 centimeters, its modest size suggests it was intended for private devotion. The painting has since been transferred from its initial wooden support to canvas.

This technique, common for the period, allowed for vibrant colors and intricate details, enhancing the spiritual impact of the figures and their attributes.

Pietro di Battista d’Arrigo di Minore, a resident of Pisa, commissioned this panel in 1481. Its documented history in more recent times begins in 1900, when it was part of Comte Robert de Pourtalès's collection in Paris. The painting later moved to the New York art market, acquired by dealer Kleinberger in 1967.

It ultimately entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1971 as a bequest from Harry G. Sperling, bearing the object number 1976.100.14.

This painting exemplifies a common practice during the Renaissance, where individuals commissioned personalized votive images to address specific anxieties, particularly during widespread epidemics like the plague. Patrons often invoked locally venerated saints believed to offer protection. Gozzoli's panel thus reflects a deeply personal and culturally significant response to the pervasive threat of disease, channeling faith and artistic patronage as a means of seeking solace and intervention.