Polyptych of saints

Signorelli's Polyptych of Saints from around 1507 for the Pinacoteca di Brera represents the traditional altarpiece format that persisted in smaller Italian centers long after Florence and Venice had adopted the unified sacra conversazione. Polyptychs with individual saints in separate panels reflected liturgical requirements and devotional traditions specific to certain religious communities. By 1507, Signorelli had completed his masterwork at Orvieto (1499-1504) and was receiving commissions that drew on his fame from that project, yet he could still execute conservative formats when patrons required them.

Signorelli's characteristically muscular, sculptural figures are rendered with bold contours and powerful anatomical modeling, each saint occupying its panel with a commanding physical presence.