Main altarpiece of the Cathedral of Ávila

Pedro Berruguete created the main altarpiece of the Cathedral of Ávila, one of the most important commissions of his career. Berruguete was the first Spanish painter to fully absorb the Italian Renaissance, having worked at the court of Federico da Montefeltro in Urbino before returning to Castile, where he transformed Spanish painting. The tempera medium required careful preparation on a gessoed panel and a disciplined layering technique that produced precise, durable surfaces suited to the intricate detail expected of devotional painting.

The altarpiece reflects Berruguete's unique synthesis of Flemish-influenced Spanish detail with Italian Renaissance spatial construction, creating a monumental ensemble that introduced Italianate perspective and figure modeling to Castilian church decoration.