plate no. 1154

Perugia Altarpiece

panel, temperaEarly Renaissancereligious paintingfiguresreligiousgoldarchitecturealtarpieceMadonna

recreation guide

The Perugia Altarpiece (1448) by Fra Angelico is a quintessential example of Early Renaissance religious panel painting, combining late Gothic decorative traditions with emerging linear perspective. The work was originally executed for the St. Nicholas Chapel in the Basilica of San Domenico, Perugia, and features a central Maestà depiction of the Madonna Enthroned with Child and Angels, flanked by side panels of saints and a predella depicting scenes from the Life of St. Nicholas (Source 1). The central panel is distinguished by its use of geometric perspective for the throne and a pavement decorated with marble tarsia, a technique Angelico employed in earlier works like the San Pietro Martire Triptych (Source 1). While the central panel is fully by Fra Angelico, the side panels are attributed to him and his workshop, reflecting a collaborative production model common for large altarpieces (Source 1, Source 3).

estimated time

40-60 hours over 8-12 sessions

materials

7 items

steps

6 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
Wood panel (poplar or oak)	Support for tempera painting, consistent with 15th-century Italian practice	MDF or plywood panel sealed with gesso
Egg yolk	Binder for tempera paint, the primary medium for this period	Commercial egg tempera or pre-mixed egg tempera sets
Azurite	Blue pigment for garments and backgrounds, noted in Angelico's prestigious works	Phthalo Blue or Ultramarine (historically lapis lazuli was reserved for the Virgin's robe, but azurite was common for other blues)
Vermilion	Red pigment for robes and symbolic elements like roses	Cadmium Red or Cadmium Orange
Gold leaf	For haloes, garment edges, and decorative brocade patterns, reflecting Gothic conventions	23k gold leaf or imitation gold leaf
White lead or chalk	For highlights and underpainting layers	Titanium White or Zinc White
Marble dust or white pigment	To simulate the marble tarsia pavement described in the central panel	White acrylic or tempera with texture paste

preparation

surface prep

Prepare the wood panel with multiple layers of gesso (chalk and glue) to create a smooth, white surface. This is standard for tempera painting in the Early Renaissance. The surface should be polished to a high sheen to allow for the fine detail work characteristic of Fra Angelico’s style, particularly for the intricate marble tarsia and gold decorations (Source 8).

underdrawing

Use a charcoal or ink underdrawing to establish the composition. Fra Angelico’s works demonstrate a strong understanding of linear perspective, particularly in architectural elements like the throne and arcades (Source 2). The underdrawing should carefully map out the geometric perspective of the throne and the placement of figures to ensure the 'solidity' and 'three-dimensional form' noted in his Renaissance-influenced style (Source 2).

underpainting

Apply a thin layer of underpainting (imprimatura) if desired, though egg tempera is often applied directly to the white gesso ground. The white ground helps to brighten the colors, contributing to the 'clear, bright pastel colours' associated with Angelico’s frescoes and panel works (Source 3).

color palette

Blue

Azurite or Lapis Lazuli

Virgin’s robe and angel garments; Angelico used extensive azurite in prestigious altarpieces (Source 2)

Red

Vermilion

Saints’ robes, roses, and decorative elements; vermilion was a key pigment in his work (Source 2)

Gold

Gold leaf

Haloes, garment edges, and brocade drapes; reflects Gothic decorative conventions (Source 1, Source 2)

White

Lead White or Chalk

Highlights, marble tarsia, and roses symbolizing purity (Source 1)

Green

Verdigris or Malachite

Landscapes or foliage in predella scenes; complementary to red garments

composition

The central panel features a Maestà composition with the Madonna on a throne painted using geometric perspective (Source 1). The throne’s arch and the placement of angels resemble the Cortona Triptych (Source 1). The pavement is decorated with marble tarsia, a detail Angelico used in earlier works (Source 1). The figures should convey 'solidity, three-dimensional form, and naturalism' rather than the flatness of earlier Gothic styles (Source 2). The saints in the side panels are less monumental than in his later works, standing behind tables covered with gold-decorated brocade (Source 1).

step by step

underdrawing→first pass→refining→finishing

underdrawing

step 01
Sketch the composition with charcoal, focusing on the geometric perspective of the throne and the architectural elements.
Tip — Ensure the vanishing point is consistent to achieve the 'solidity' and 'three-dimensional form' characteristic of Angelico’s Renaissance style (Source 2).
Linear Perspective

first pass

step 02
Apply thin layers of egg tempera to build up the colors. Start with the background and architectural elements.
Tip — Tempera is fast-drying; work in small areas to maintain control (Source 8).
Egg Tempera Glazing

refining

step 03
Paint the marble tarsia on the pavement using white and gray tones to simulate stone.
Tip — This technique was used by Angelico in earlier works like the San Pietro Martire Triptych (Source 1).
Marble Tarsia Simulation
step 04
Apply gold leaf to the haloes, garment edges, and brocade patterns on the tables behind the saints.
Tip — This reflects the 'refined decorative conventions of Gothic painting' and the 'brilliance of colour and gold' in his work (Source 2, Source 3).
Gold Leaf Application

finishing

step 05
Add details to the figures, ensuring the drapery follows the structure of the bodies beneath to convey physical weight.
Tip — Angelico’s figures show 'greater solidity' and 'naturalism' compared to earlier Gothic examples (Source 2).
Naturalistic Drapery
step 06
Paint the white and red roses in front of the Madonna, symbolizing purity and the Passion.
Tip — These elements are specific to the Perugia Altarpiece’s iconography (Source 1).
Symbolic Detail

critical techniques

Linear Perspective

Used to create the geometric throne and architectural spaces, demonstrating Angelico’s understanding of Renaissance principles (Source 2).

Egg Tempera

The primary medium, allowing for fine detail and bright colors. It is a fast-drying binder mixed with pigments (Source 8).

Gold Leaf Decoration

Applied to haloes and garments to reflect Gothic traditions and the 'lavish gilded robes' noted in his work (Source 2, Source 3).

common pitfalls

→Overworking the tempera: Egg tempera dries quickly and can become muddy if over-blended. Work in small sections (Source 8).
→Ignoring perspective: Failing to apply geometric perspective to the throne and architecture will lose the 'solidity' and 'three-dimensional form' that distinguish Angelico’s Renaissance style from earlier Gothic works (Source 2).
→Flat drapery: Ensure the clothing folds follow the body’s structure to convey physical weight, a key characteristic of Angelico’s naturalism (Source 2).

what the sources don't tell us

Where the corpus is silent, we say so rather than guess. These are the gaps a complete recreation guide would normally cover that our source passages don't.

·Specific pigment recipes for the 'brocade drape decorated in gold' are not detailed in the sources, though gold leaf is mentioned (Source 1).
·The exact proportions of the side panels and predella are not specified, though their content is described (Source 1).
·The specific underdrawing materials (charcoal vs. ink) are not explicitly stated for this work, though general practice is inferred.

cross-referenced from

Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.

Wikipedia: Perugia Altarpiece↗
- Description — applied to Composition details, marble tarsia, roses, and saint attributions
Wikipedia bio — Fra Angelico↗
- Altarpieces — applied to Use of perspective, naturalism, azurite, vermilion, and gold leaf
- Artistic legacy — applied to Gothic decorative conventions and color brilliance
Wikipedia: Tempera↗
- Etymology and Definition — applied to Medium properties and application technique