Scuola Lombarda (XV) - San Pietro Apostolo

Lombard Master of the Third Quarter of the 15th Century

“Saint Peter the Apostle”

Tempera on panel / Period: 1470–1480
Dimensions: 50 × 28 cm

Milanese-Lombard school, circa 1460–1475
Close to the artistic culture of Zanetto Bugatto, Bonifacio Bembo, and the early Vincenzo Foppa

- Brief description of the work

The panel depicts Saint Peter the Apostle standing full-length, immediately recognizable by the keys, the saint’s traditional attribute and a symbol of the authority conferred upon him by Christ. The apostle, elderly and bearded, wears a green garment beneath a wide red mantle edged in gold, and holds his right hand to his chest in a restrained, solemn gesture.

The figure is set within a perspectivally constructed architectural space defined by the floor, side walls, and wooden ceiling. Particularly significant is the shadow cast by the saint, indicating a growing attention to the naturalistic rendering of space.

The work thus combines late Gothic survivals, evident in its linearity, rich coloring, and gilded edging, with a new Renaissance sensibility in its treatment of volume and space. These features suggest an attribution to the Lombard painting tradition of the third quarter of the 15th century, circa 1460–1475, within the milieu where the work of Zanetto Bugatto, Bonifacio Bembo, and the early Vincenzo Foppa intersected.


*** The work is of potential museum and historical-documentary interest, particularly because it is presumed to date to the third quarter of the 15th century and belongs to the Lombard figurative tradition at the point of transition between the late Gothic tradition and Renaissance style.

Its depiction of Saint Peter the Apostle, the quality of the facial characterization, the complex perspectival construction of the setting, and the combination of late Gothic elements with a new attention to light and space make it a significant document of 15th-century painting in northern Italy.

Condition Report

The work is in fair condition, consistent with the age of the object and the nature of its wooden support. The painted surface preserves an overall good legibility of the figure of Saint Peter and the architectural setting.

Widespread craquelure, abrasions, wear to the paint layer, small losses, and flaking are present, most evident along the edges and in some areas of the background and drapery. Surface alterations and unevenness are also visible, likely attributable to the aging of the varnishes and previous conservation treatments. The gilded edging shows normal wear and localized losses.

The wooden support shows natural signs of age, with irregularities and wear phenomena requiring direct assessment from a structural standpoint. The reverse retains extensive ornamental decoration, now partially abraded and affected by deposits, wear, and surface alterations.

- Expert assessment and certificate of lawful provenance
- Text and documentation prepared by an antiques appraiser

The frame is provided free of charge as a gift with the work and should therefore be considered an accessory, not included in the painting’s valuation. Given the natural fragility of antique gilded frames, any damage, detachment, breakage, or loss of parts of the frame occurring during transport or shipping shall not be grounds for a refund, compensation, or dispute concerning the value of the work. The work will nevertheless be packed with the utmost care to ensure, as far as possible, safe transport.

Insured shipping and protective packaging
Transport insurance based on the estimated value

*** Due to its historical significance, the work cannot be shipped outside the European Union