Christ on the Cross, the Virgin, Saint John the Evangelist, and Cardinal Torquemada

Executed in 1450, this portrait exemplifies the conventions of fifteenth-century portraiture during the flourishing of the Early Renaissance. Fra Angelico, the Dominican friar-painter whose luminous devotional works embody the spiritual ideals of the Early Renaissance, brings gold ground technique to the depiction of the sitter. Now held at Harvard Art Museums, the painting testifies to the social importance of commissioned portraits in the Early Renaissance.

Executed in Tempera on panel, the work showcases Fra Angelico's radiant coloring, with particular attention to the interplay of light across the sitter's features. The handling of drapery and accessories demonstrates the technical refinement expected of formal portraiture.