A Miracle of Saint Donatus of Arezzo

This small predella panel depicts a miracle attributed to Saint Donatus, Bishop of Arezzo, who reportedly mended a broken chalice through prayer. Painted around 1477, it is one of Leonardo da Vinci's earliest known works, likely executed while he was still in the workshop of Andrea del Verrocchio in Florence. The panel originally formed part of an altarpiece and demonstrates the young Leonardo already experimenting with narrative drama and atmospheric effects that would define his later career. The work is now in a private collection and remains a subject of scholarly debate regarding attribution.

The composition reveals Leonardo's early mastery of spatial arrangement, with figures organized around the central miracle in a semi-circular grouping. The handling of drapery and facial expressions already shows sophistication beyond typical workshop production, with subtle chiaroscuro modeling that anticipates his mature technique.