Altarpiece of San Zeno in Verona, right panel of St. Benedict, St. Lawrence, St. Gregory and St. John the Baptist 1459

Andrea Mantegna painted this panel of the Altarpiece of San Zeno in Verona sometime in the 15th century. Look closely and you will see Benedict, Lawrence, Gregory and John the Baptist rendered with incredible realism. Mantegna, deeply influenced by his studies of classical antiquity, creates a stoic and serious mood. Note the architectural framework, reminiscent of ancient Roman structures, that houses the saints. Each figure is distinguished by the tools of their martyrdom or by the attire denoting their religious significance. Lawrence is holding the gridiron on which he was burned alive; Gregory is wearing the elaborate garb of the papacy. Painted during the early Renaissance, a period of renewed interest in humanism, Mantegna's saints are portrayed as individuals with unique expressions, rather than as idealized religious figures. The artist seems to ask: how do we find ourselves in the image of the saint? Mantegna’s skillful rendering of depth and perspective, combined with his realistic portrayal of the saints, invites us to reflect on how individuals, then and now, embody moral and spiritual values.