Saint Andrew
Masaccio·1426
Historical Context
Saint Andrew, holding the X-shaped cross of his martyrdom, appears in this 1426 panel at the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles—another fragment of the Pisa Altarpiece scattered across world collections. The apostle Andrew, patron saint of fishermen and of several European nations, was a standard subject in Italian altarpiece painting. Masaccio"s treatment transforms the conventional saint"s image into a convincing portrait of a weathered, dignified man.
Technical Analysis
Andrew"s figure is rendered with Masaccio"s characteristic sculptural modeling, the white-bearded face built from broad planes of light and shadow that give it the presence of an ancient Roman portrait bust. The cross of martyrdom provides a strong diagonal that structures the narrow panel format. The drapery falls in heavy, natural folds modeled by light rather than outlined by decorative line. The gold ground retains its iconic function while the figure projects forward with unprecedented three-dimensional conviction.
