The San Lucas Altarpiece by Andrea Mantegna was commissioned for the chapel dedicated to St. Luke in the Church of Santa Giustina in Padua, Italy in 1453-54. This impressive masterpiece is a polyptych and consists of twelve separate panels depicting the life story of St. Luke, such as his Nativity and Baptism, surrounded by images of prophets and saints. It measures approximately 130″ x 80″ and is located in the Pinacoteca di Brera museum in Milan, Italy today.
Mantegna’s San Lucas Altarpiece is a true testament to his versatility as a painter; it showcases both his skillful use of perspectival depth and balance to create a layered visual narrative, as well as his remarkably dynamic figures that are vivid with expressions of emotionality and movement.
Another fabulous painting by Andrea Mantegna is Samson And Delilah, which can be found at the National Gallery of London and dates back to around 1495. This remarkable painting features an expressive composition that conveys an emotional intensity between its two main characters; Samson lies asleep in Delilah’s lap with her holding his dripping locks of hair – an obvious allusion to his imminent betrayal – yet their heads remain close together as she watches him sleep with a vulnerable expression on her face. In this work, Mantegna has once again demonstrated his artistic versatility in creating deep emotions with bold pigments and dynamic compositions.
