San Cassiano Altarpiece

Nicholas and St.

It is recorded as the work of Antonello da Messina and Jacopo Bellini. Materials recorded for it are poplar panel and oil paint. Recorded constituent parts are Left panel San Cassiano Altarpiece, Right panel San Cassiano Altarpiece with St Dominic and Central panel San Cassiano Altarpiece. It is associated with Austria. The record gives 1475 as its date of establishment or first appearance. Recorded genres are religious art. The recorded subject matter is sacra conversazione and Madonna and Child. It is recorded in the collection of Kunsthistorisches Museum, James Hamilton, 1st Duke of Hamilton collection and Painting collection of Archduke Leopold Wilhelm of Austria.

• Title — San Cassiano Altarpiece • Artist — Antonello da Messina • Year — 1475-1476 • Medium — Oil on panel • Height Metric — 55.9 • Width Metric — 35 • Metric Unit — cm • Imperial Unit — in • City — Vienna • Museum — Kunsthistorisches Museum • Illustration — Reconstruction of the original work with existing fragments and copies of fragments.

It is unknown when it was disassembled or why, but it was already in fragments when parts of it were documented by David Teniers the Younger for his Theatrum Pictorium in 1660. It wasn't until 1929 that three of the fragments were reunited by the Hungarian art historian Johannes Wilde. Other surviving fragments have been analysed to fit according to the model of a reconstruction in a virtual architectural study. Originally a larger altarpiece, it now comprises only the central panel with the Virgin Enthroned, and four half-busts of saints: St. Nicholas of Bari, Mary Magdalene (or Ursula), St. Lucy and St. Dominic. Allegedly inspired by another Holy Conversation by Giovanni Bellini in the church of San Giovanni e Paolo (now known only through copies), it features however a more balance composition and a more sober architecture. Antonello adopted a pyramidal layout, enhanced by the accurate use of light. The book with three golden balls held by St. Nicholas alludes to the episode in which he gave them to three girls to be used as dowry.

San Cassiano Altarpiece is recorded as made of poplar panel and oil paint. Associated with Austria. Recorded from 1475. Practice and materials. Its recorded materials are poplar panel and oil paint. It comprises Left panel San Cassiano Altarpiece, Right panel San Cassiano Altarpiece with St Dominic and Central panel San Cassiano Altarpiece.