Polittico di Santa Barbara

Palma Vecchio's Polittico di Santa Barbara from around 1524 is a polyptych altarpiece for the church of Santa Maria Formosa in Venice, depicting Santa Barbara as its central figure — the patroness of artillerymen, miners, and those in danger of sudden death. The Venetian church of Santa Maria Formosa had strong ties to the military profession and Barbara's protection was invoked by soldiers and sailors in the maritime republic. Palma's polyptych combined the traditional format of separated panels with a unified color scheme and consistent figure scale that reflected the High Renaissance movement toward compositional unity. The altarpiece remains in its original Venetian location.

Palma Vecchio renders the polyptych with his signature warm, golden palette and broad brushwork, adapting his atmospheric Venetian style to the more structured demands of the multi-panel altarpiece format.