Saint Anthony Abbot (with Saint John the Baptist) 1389 - 1435

Martino di Bartolommeo di Biagio's "Saint Anthony Abbot (with Saint John the Baptist)" is a tempera and gold on poplar panel painting executed between 1389 and 1435, currently housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The painting, within a shaped frame, depicts Saint Anthony Abbot in the center, holding a staff and book, with a smaller figure of Saint John the Baptist above, holding a scroll. This piece exemplifies the artistic style of the Early Renaissance, characterized by a balance between realism and idealism, evident in the figures' expressiveness and the use of gold leaf for a luminous effect. The composition’s verticality and emphasis on individual figures are typical of this period.