Madonna and Child with Angels and St Fredianus and St Augustine

This 1437 altarpiece of the Madonna and Child with Angels and Saints Fredianus and Augustine demonstrates Lippi's early engagement with the traditional Florentine altarpiece format. The inclusion of local saints reflects the specific devotional needs of the commissioning church The Madonna and Child was the most ubiquitous devotional subject of medieval and Renaissance art, present in every church and many private homes as a focus for prayer and spiritual contemplation.

The altarpiece shows Lippi's early compositional approach, combining the symmetrical arrangement of a traditional sacra conversazione with his developing sensitivity to light and expression.