San Giovenale Triptych (Masaccio)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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| San Giovenale Triptych |
| Masaccio, 1422 |
| Panel |
| Cascia di Reggello |
The San Giovenale Triptych or Cascia Altarpiece is a painting attributed to the Italian Renaissance artist Masaccio, 1422. It is housed in the church of Cascia di Reggello, in the Pieve of San Pietro near Florence.
This is probably the first original work by Masaccio, and was discovered in (1961), in a poor state of preservation. It was commissioned by the Florentine family of Castellani for the Basilica of San Lorenzo, and was later moved to San Giovenale.
It is dated at the bottom in modern humanist letters, the first work in Europe not inscribed in Gothic characters: ANNO DOMINI MCCCCXXII A DI VENTITRE D'AP(RILE) (April 23, 1422). The central panel shows the Madonna enthroned with two angels: the Child is eating some vine, as a symbol of the Eucharist; the left panel depicts St. Bartholomew and Saint Blaise, and the right panel depicts St. Anthony and St. Giovenale. The side panels show a marked influence of 14th century models, whilst the complex perspective of the centre panel would have been something quite new for its time. In its introduction of three dimensional solidity the painting may be considered revolutionary for its time.
