San Marco Altarpiece (1490-92)

The beginning of Botticelli's late period of creativity is marked by the painting Coronation of the Virgin with Angels and St John the Evangelist, St Augustine, St Jerome and St Eligius. This altarpiece was painted for the chapel belonging to the Guild of the Goldsmiths in the Church of San Marco in Florence. The chapel was dedicated to St Eligius. The fact that the altarpiece was commissioned by the Guild of Goldsmiths explains the generous employment of expensive gold; it was of course unthinkable that the goldsmiths be sparing with this material.

Since 1919 the painting is in the Uffizi together with the predella (five scenes painted on a single panel) but without the superb original frame. It used to be in such poor condition that for half a century it was not possible to exhibit the picture. Following extensive restoration, which mainly consisted of reattaching those pieces of paint that had become loose, it was possible to put the painting on show once more in 1990.