Altarpiece of the Baptist

Giovanni del Biondo created this Altarpiece of the Baptist around 1360, dedicated to Saint John the Baptist, the patron saint of Florence and the most revered figure in the city's civic-religious identity. The altarpiece depicts the saint's life in the multi-paneled narrative format that was a staple of Florentine Gothic church furnishing. Now in the Contini Bonacossi collection associated with the Uffizi, it represents Giovanni del Biondo's prolific output for Florentine ecclesiastical patrons.

The altarpiece employs the vertical format with a central standing saint flanked by narrative panels depicting episodes from the Baptist's life. Giovanni del Biondo's technique features bold, saturated colors — particularly the saint's red and camel-hair garments — set against brilliant tooled gold grounds with elaborate decorative punchwork.