Linaioli Tabernacle (c. 1433)

The Arte de' Linaiuoli, the Guild of Linen Manufacturers, commissioned this altarpiece from Angelico in 1432, for the Residenza of the Guild in the Piazza Sant' Andrea in Florence. The mammoth frame, 520 cm high and 270 cm wide, was designed by Ghiberti and executed by three craftsmen in his workshop. With closed shutters it represents the statuesque figures of St Mark and St Peter, while with open doors the Virgin and Child Enthroned with St John the Baptist and St Mark. The three predella pictures are the Predicament of St Peter, the Adoration of the Magi and the Martyrdom of St Mark.

Suggested listening (streaming mp3, 3 minutes):
Guillauame Dufay: Aurea luce, hymn for the feast of Sts Peter and Paul