St. Nicholas of Bari with a donor

Agnolo Gaddi, the last major painter of the Giottesque tradition in Florence, created this devotional panel of St. Nicholas of Bari with a kneeling donor around 1394. The inclusion of the donor portrait reflects the growing practice among wealthy Florentine patrons of commissioning personalized devotional images. St. Nicholas was widely venerated across medieval Europe as a protector of merchants and travelers, making him a popular choice for mercantile patrons.

Painted in egg tempera on poplar panel with gold leaf background, the work shows Gaddi's characteristic soft modeling and gentle color harmonies. The donor figure is rendered at a smaller scale than the saint, following established Gothic hierarchical conventions.