Madonna col Bambino in trono e i Santi Paolo, Francesco e Giovannino. (Pala Scappi)

Seated on a tall throne, the Madonna holds the Child on her knees. The Child’s features are almost replicated in the Saint John in the foreground, albeit posed according to a studied rhythmic counterpoint. Behind these, completed by an inscribed slab, is the sarcophagus of Lattanzio Scappi: the painting was in fact requested from the artist by the jurist Giovanni, after the untimely death of his son. Beyond the backdrop of the architecture is a deeply furrowed landscape illuminated by a crystalline light.