Madonna and Child with Saints Francis and Clare

Cima's Madonna and Child with Saints Francis and Clare (1510) pairs the founder of the Franciscan order with the founder of the Poor Clares — the most natural possible pairing for a Franciscan church or confraternity commission. Francis and Clare, who had followed Francis's lead in creating a female version of the Franciscan life of poverty and evangelical service, were among the most venerated saints in the late medieval and early Renaissance church. Their frequent appearance in altarpieces reflected the Franciscan order's dominant presence in Italian religious life and the devotional practices of lay fraternities affiliated with their churches. Cima's treatment gives both saints distinctive character while maintaining the compositional harmony of his sacra conversazione format.

Cima's late manner shows the influence of the younger generation of Venetian painters, with warmer, more atmospheric light and broader handling than his earlier works. The Franciscan saints are rendered with the distinctive combination of serenity and clarity that characterizes all his devotional paintings.