Altarpiece of Saint Michael and Saint Peter

Jaume Cirera's Altarpiece of Saint Michael and Saint Peter, dated 1432 and held in the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya, is a work from the Catalan Gothic school in the period when it was transitioning from the refined International Gothic of the early century toward a new engagement with Flemish naturalism. Cirera was active in Barcelona and worked in the tradition of the Catalan Gothic masters, combining local conventions with awareness of the Franco-Flemish influences circulating through the Crown of Aragon's court. The pairing of Saint Michael the Archangel and Saint Peter the Apostle was a common altarpiece combination, the two figures representing heavenly and ecclesiastical authority respectively.

Cirera employs gold grounds with the characteristic Catalan Gothic figure style: clear colors, elegant linear drapery, and individually characterized faces. Saint Michael in armor provides a contrast to Saint Peter's robes and key. The panels demonstrate the Catalan Gothic tradition at a mature and accomplished level.