The Burial of Saint Zenobius

Davide Ghirlandaio's Burial of Saint Zenobius, painted around 1479, narrates an episode from the life of Florence's first bishop, a subject of intense local devotion. The painting likely formed part of a narrative predella or series illustrating the saint's life and miracles. The Ghirlandaio workshop's treatment of Florentine saints reflected the civic pride that permeated Quattrocento religious art.

The tempera and gold on wood panel employs the Ghirlandaio workshop's precise, narrative-oriented technique with clearly drawn figures arranged in a procession. The bright palette and gold accents follow the conventions of predella painting, where legibility at a distance was essential.