Five Apostles

Allegretto Nuzi painted this panel of five apostles around 1360, likely as a component of a larger polyptych for a church in or near Fabriano. As the principal painter of the Marche region during the mid-fourteenth century, Nuzi was responsible for establishing a local tradition that would culminate in the International Gothic art of Gentile da Fabriano. The representation of apostles in grouped panels was a common element in Gothic polyptych structures, serving both liturgical and decorative functions.

Executed in egg tempera on gold-ground panel, the five apostles are distinguished by their individual attributes and varied drapery colors. Nuzi's characteristic blend of Giottesque solidity and Sienese chromatic delicacy is evident in the gentle modeling of faces and the luminous pigment application.