Polyptych of Saint Ursula

Antonio Vivarini's Polyptych of Saint Ursula, painted around 1440 for the Museo Diocesano, depicts scenes from the legend of the British princess who was martyred with eleven thousand virgins at Cologne. The elaborate multi-panel format reflects the Venetian taste for richly decorated altarpieces Altarpieces featuring rows of standing saints served both liturgical and devotional functions, identifying the church's patron saints and giving worshippers specific objects for personal prayer.

The polyptych compartments present sequential narrative scenes from Ursula's legend, rendered in Antonio Vivarini's characteristic rich colors and gold tooling within the elaborate Gothic framing typical of Venetian altarpiece construction.