Saints Augustin and Francis, a Bishop Saint, and Saint Benedict 1464

Filippo Lippi made this panel painting of four saints in Florence using tempera on wood. Tempera is a traditional technique that involves binding pigments with egg yolk, meticulously layering colours to achieve luminosity. Looking closely, you can see that Lippi has used this technique to render the rich fabrics and textures of the saints’ robes. The weight of the clothing is conveyed through the careful modulation of light and shadow, demonstrating a skilled understanding of volume and form. The gold detailing would have involved applying gold leaf, a labor-intensive process that adds to the painting's material richness and reflects the economic resources required for its production. This panel not only demonstrates Lippi's mastery of tempera, but also links the artwork to the broader economic and social context of Renaissance Florence, where artistic skill and material wealth were closely intertwined. Understanding these elements allows us to appreciate the painting beyond its aesthetic qualities, recognizing the labor, materials, and economic forces that shaped its creation.