Artwork
Saint Anthony Abbot
Saint Anthony Abbot is a tempera painting by the Early Renaissance artist Fra Angelico. It dates from 1440 and is held in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1440, this panel painting by Fra Angelico portrays Saint Anthony the Great. Executed on wood, the work belongs to the early Florentine Renaissance and reflects the artist’s monastic background as a Dominican friar.
Subject & Meaning
The figure is a bearded saint in a dark, flowing robe, holding a wooden staff that alludes to his ascetic life. A radiant halo encircles his head, its radiating lines emphasizing his sanctity and spiritual authority.
Technique & Style
Fra Angelico employs a stark gold ground that heightens the contrast with the figure. Deep shadows model the folds of the robe, creating a sense of weight and three‑dimensionality, while the luminous halo demonstrates his early use of chiaroscuro to suggest volume.
History & Provenance
The artist, also known as Fra Giovanni da Fiesole, worked in Florence under the patronage of Cosimo de’ Medici, notably on frescoes for the Dominican convent of San Marco. This panel reflects the same devotional purpose that guided his larger commissions.
Context
Saint Anthony the Great was a model of monastic virtue in the 4th century, and his depiction was common in Renaissance religious art, serving as an exemplar of piety for Dominican audiences.
Artist & collection
Artist
Fra Giovanni da Fiesole (born Guido di Pietro; c. 1395 – 18 February 1455), known posthumously as Fra Angelico ( FRAH an-JEL-ik-oh, Italian: ), was an Italian Dominican friar and painter active during the early…
- Saint Anthony Abbot
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