The Massa Fermana Altarpiece is a 1468 tempera and gold on panel by

Carlo Crivelli Carlo Crivelli (Venice, c. 1430 – Ascoli Piceno, c. 1495) was an Italian Renaissance painter of conservative Late Gothic decorative sensibility, who spent his early years in the Veneto, where he absorbed influences from the Vivarini ...

, held in Santi Lorenzo e Silvestro church in the town of

Massa Fermana Massa Fermana is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Fermo in the Italian region Marche, located about south of Ancona and about northwest of Ascoli Piceno. The parish church of Santi Lorenzo, Silvestro, e Ruffino houses the Massa F ...

. It is signed "KAROLVS CRIVELLVS VENETVS PINXIT HOC OPVS MCCCCLXVIII". It is his earliest known surviving work and is notable for dating his return to Italy. The central register is a Madonna and Child flanked by Saints John the Baptist, Lawrence, Sylvester and Francis. Above this are panels of Mary at the Annunciation, the Pietà and Gabriel at the Annunciation, whilst below is a predella showing Christ at Gethsemane, the Crucifixion, the Flagellation and the Resurrection.

History

Amico Ricci Amico Ricci Petrocchini, Petruccini or Petruchini (1794-1862) was an Italian art historian and marquess. He is most notable for his 1834 ''Memorie storiche delle arti e degli artisti della Marca di Ancona'', the first systematic survey of art h ...

(1834) quotes a local traditions that the work was commission by a count of the Azzolini family from

Fermo Fermo (ancient: Firmum Picenum) is a town and ''comune'' of the Marche, Italy, in the Province of Fermo. Fermo is on a hill, the Sabulo, elevation , on a branch from Porto San Giorgio on the Adriatic coast railway. History The oldest hum ...

, who were also lords of Massa Fermana.

References

{{15C-painting-stub Paintings by Carlo Crivelli Paintings depicting John the Baptist Paintings of Francis of Assisi Paintings of Saint Lawrence Paintings of the Pietà Paintings depicting the Annunciation Paintings of the Flagellation of Jesus Paintings of the Resurrection of Christ Paintings depicting Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane Paintings depicting the Crucifixion of Jesus 1468 paintings