Saint John the Evangelist: Altarpiece Pinnacle (right)

Saint John the Evangelist as an altarpiece pinnacle figure completes the right-side counterpart to the Virgin pinnacle within the Pratovecchio Altarpiece ensemble. John the Evangelist — distinct from John the Baptist — is typically shown as a young, beardless man, often holding a chalice referencing his legendary survival after drinking poisoned wine, or an eagle symbolising his Gospel's soaring theology. The National Gallery's Pratovecchio components document mid-century Florentine workshop practice in producing complex multi-panel altarpiece structures for institutional patrons.

Tempera and gold leaf on panel. John's youth and beardlessness provide a visual contrast with the older, bearded saints in the main panels below. The evangelist's attribute functions as an identifying label. Gold tooled haloes demonstrate workshop technical competence.