Three predella panels
- Artist: Fra Angelico
- Date: 1420-29
- Medium: tempera on panel
- Museum: The Courtauld Gallery
- Collection record: The Courtauld Gallery website
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About this artwork
This is the Three predella panels by Fra Angelico, a compact yet striking fragment that once ran together to form the lower tier of a larger altarpiece for a Dominican convent in Florence. Created between 1420 and 1429 in tempera on panel, the work reflects the gentle, almost ethereal touch that earned the artist the name “Fra Angelico” – Angelic Friar – after his devotion as a Dominican monk.
Each panel is a small round frame, but their figures radiate expressive intensity. In the center we see Christ, depicted with the lance and sponge that would later be used at his crucifixion, a quiet reminder of sacrifice. Flanking him are saints whose relics were likely housed in the convent’s church: on the left, Blessed Margaret of Hungary; then Saint Cecilia, Mary Magdalen, John the Evangelist, Catherine of Alexandria, and finally Saint Agnes. Their gestures and faces convey a reverence that belies the modest scale.
The overall composition illustrates how Fra Angelico integrated theological symbolism with everyday devotion. The precise brushwork and luminous colors give each saint a distinct presence, allowing viewers to feel the solemnity of the convent’s spiritual life in a single glance. This intimate series offers a window into early‑fourteenth‑century Florentine religious art and the compassionate spirit of its creator.
See it in person
Three predella panels hangs in The Courtauld Gallery at Somerset House, London. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
