Madonna col Bambino tra i santi Paolo e gIorgio

Saints Paul and George flank the Madonna and Child in this 1487 panel at the Gallerie dell'Accademia. The warrior saint George and the apostle Paul create an unusual pairing that may reflect the specific devotional interests of the patron who commissioned the altarpiece Giovanni Bellini transformed Venetian painting over a sixty-year career, moving from the precise line of his brother-in-law Mantegna to the rich, atmospheric color that defined the Venetian school.

Bellini's mature handling of the late 1480s shows the warm, unified light and soft atmospheric quality that characterize his best sacra conversazioni. Each saint is individually characterized while contributing to the harmonious whole, the composition balanced with the quiet mastery of long experience.