Part of base, or predella, of a large altarpiece. Saint Lawrence

It is unusual for parts of a dismantled altarpiece to find their way back together. These two paintings were once part of the same base, or predella, of a large altarpiece that was later broken up and cut into sections. Only the panel with Saint Lawrence retains some of its original ornate moulding. Lawrence is recognisable by the gridiron on which he is believed to have been put to death over a fire. The other saint wears a bishop’s garments but has not yet been identified.

Art historians have invented a name for this unknown artist based on another fragment from the same altarpiece, now in the Fogg Art Museum in the United States. His distinctive style has been recognised in other paintings with ties to Florence and Assisi where he probably worked.