The altarpiece was made for the high altar in the church of the Benedictine nuns, Sant'Ambrogio, as commissioned by its prior Francesco Maringhi, who can be seen on the right next to the words "Is perfecit opus". On the other side, the friar painter has depicted himself with his chin on his hand. Stolen before the French suppression in 1810, it was later purchased for the Accademia in 1813. It has been in the Uffizi since 1919.