Polyptych of Madonna and child with saints

Crivelli's Polyptych of Madonna and Child with Saints from 1468 represents the traditional altarpiece format — multiple panels in gilded frames showing the Virgin, Christ, and flanking saints — that was standard in Italian devotional art throughout the fifteenth century. Crivelli maintained his commitment to the polyptych format even as the unified sacra conversazione was becoming the preferred altarpiece type, reflecting both the conservative taste of his provincial Marche patrons and his own attachment to the Gothic formal vocabulary. Each saint in a polyptych occupied their own panel, isolated against the gilded ground in the manner of Byzantine icons, a format that emphasized the individuality of the saint's identity and the directness of their relationship to the worshipper.

Crivelli's early polyptych already displays his signature elements: sharp metallic drapery folds, elaborate fruit and flower garlands, jewel-like tempera colors on gold ground, and the hyper-precise surface detail that defines his unmistakable style.