Artwork
the Saints John the Baptist, Egidius, Gerard of Villamagna, Paul and Catherine (or Miniato)

the Saints John the Baptist, Egidius, Gerard of Villamagna, Paul and Catherine (or Miniato) is an oil painting by the Byzantine icon painting artist Nardo di Cione. It dates from 1350 and is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts the saints John the Baptist, Egidius, Gerard of Villamagna, Paul and Catherine of Alexandria together in a unified composition.
The painting depicts the saints John the Baptist, Egidius, Gerard of Villamagna, Paul and Catherine of Alexandria together in a unified composition. Their presence functions as a devotional grouping typical of late medieval religious art, emphasizing communal intercession and the saints' roles within the early Church narrative. The inclusion of Catherine of Alexandria alongside Paul and John reflects her established iconographic importance as a martyr and wise teacher, reinforcing the work's theological emphasis on faith and wisdom.
This arrangement underscores the painting's purpose as an altarpiece intended to inspire contemplation of the saints' virtues and their relevance to the faithful.
Technique & Style
Executed in 1350, this religious panel by Nardo di Cione utilizes wood as its primary support. The work is characterized by the application of oil paint, a material choice noted for this specific piece within the Bavarian State Painting Collections. Measuring 141.8 cm in height and 69.7 cm in width, the composition features a vertical format typical of saintly depictions from the mid-fourteenth century.
The painting portrays figures including Paul the Apostle, John the Baptist, and Catherine of Alexandria, rendered through the defined medium of oil on wood.
History & Provenance
The panel painting known as The Saints John the Baptist, Egidius, Gerard of Villamagna, Paul and Catherine was created by Nardo di Cione in 1350. Executed in oil paint on a wood support, the work depicts five religious figures, including John the Baptist, Paul the Apostle, and Catherine of Alexandria. The piece is currently held by the Bavarian State Painting Collections at the Alte Pinakothek.
While the specific commissioning patron and original location are not detailed in the available records, the work's creation is firmly dated to 1350, aligning with the artist's mid-14th-century activity.
The painting is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections and is located at the Alte Pinakothek. The work measures 141.8 cm in height and 69.7 cm in width. No specific inventory number or exhibition history for this artwork is provided in the available sources.
Context
The painting was created by Nardo di Cione in 1350 as a religious work using wood as the support medium. It is housed in the Bavarian State Painting Collections at the Alte Pinakothek in Munich, where it is recognized as part of their religious art holdings. Scholars have examined its composition and iconography within the context of 14th-century Florentine painting, noting its stylistic connections to the artistic traditions of the period.
The work depicts Saints John the Baptist, Paul the Apostle, Catherine of Alexandria, and Egidius, reflecting devotional practices and theological themes associated with these figures in medieval Christianity.
Overview
Created around 1350 by the Florentine painter Nardo di Cione, this wooden panel presents a group of five saints against a flat gold field. The work is currently displayed in Munich’s Alte Pinakothek. Its composition places each figure in a formal, frontal stance, allowing the viewer direct visual access to the saints and their symbolic attributes.
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Artist & collection
![Saint John the Evangelist [right panel], by Nardo di Cione](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/nardo-di-cione--saint-john-the-evangelist-right-panel--fdd92c8ff7afceaf-w320.webp)
![Saint Peter [left panel], by Nardo di Cione](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/nardo-di-cione--saint-peter-left-panel--df6a39da35a16159-w320.webp)
![Madonna and Child, with the Man of Sorrows [middle panel], by Nardo di Cione](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/nardo-di-cione--madonna-and-child-with-the-man-of-sorrows-middle-panel--5ab4de48523071e4-w320.webp)
![Madonna and Child, with Saints Peter and John the Evangelist, and Man of Sorrows [entire triptych], by Nardo di Cione](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/nardo-di-cione--madonna-and-child-with-saints-peter-and-john-the-evangelist--a57f261be4c5dd48-w320.webp)








