Saints Cosmas and Damian

Andrea di Giusto's Saints Cosmas and Damian, painted around 1420, depicts the physician-saints who were the patron saints of the Medici family. Andrea di Giusto was a follower of Fra Angelico who maintained his master's devotional style throughout his career Altarpieces featuring rows of standing saints served both liturgical and devotional functions, identifying the church's patron saints and giving worshippers specific objects for personal prayer.

The paired saints are rendered in their physician's robes with medical attributes, painted in the luminous style derived from Fra Angelico with careful tempera technique and decorative gold ground.