Altarpiece with the Virgin and Child Enthroned between Saint Jerome and Saint Nicholas of Myra 1502

Editor: So this is Benedetto Buglioni's "Altarpiece with the Virgin and Child Enthroned between Saint Jerome and Saint Nicholas of Myra," created in 1502, using terracotta and tempera. I'm immediately struck by the use of ceramic – it gives the figures a smooth, almost ethereal quality. The color palette also feels intentionally muted. What catches your eye in this piece? Curator: The persistence of specific iconographic elements is what fascinates me here. Notice, for instance, the placement of the figures and their attributes. St. Jerome with his lion representing the strength and solitude sought in scripture, versus St. Nicholas of Myra bearing a bishop’s staff, signaling authority and earthly service. How do these figures play into the viewer's understanding of the Virgin Mary at the center? Editor: It almost feels like they're framing her, giving her importance by association, especially with the inscription at the base— do you think it guides how the people would perceive them? Curator: Indeed. Inscriptions during the Renaissance weren’t merely labels; they were pronouncements. This particular inscription highlights the donation from a nun, Caterina, embedding both personal piety and familial legacy within the artwork. And the very deliberate architecture of the piece also adds to that emphasis. The symbols worked as an affirmation of personal identity but also served as historical memory-markers. Does knowing the dedication shift your impression of the work's purpose? Editor: Absolutely, the altarpiece now seems like more than a devotional piece. It's also a monument, a form of self-expression and documentation. Curator: Precisely. And so the altarpiece continues its silent storytelling, echoing beliefs and ambitions across time.