Saint Peter

Nardo di Cione's Saint Peter belongs to this Florentine master's production of altarpiece panels in the circle of Orcagna's workshop, presenting the apostle with his characteristic keys in the gold-ground format that continued the Giottesque tradition into the second half of the Trecento. Nardo, brother of the more famous Andrea di Cione (Orcagna), collaborated on major Florentine altarpiece commissions and maintained a distinctive figure style combining Giottesque solidity with the formal hieraticism of the gold-ground tradition. His Peter panels show the saint's fisherman strength translated into apostolic authority within the standard polyptych format.

Painted in egg tempera on gold ground panel, the figure of Peter displays the monumental solidity and restrained emotionalism characteristic of the Orcagna workshop. The modeling of the face with green earth undertones and layered flesh tones follows Giottesque technique.