The Meeting of St. Anthony and St. Paul

Italian artist Sassetta painted this charming narrative panel around 1440, depicting the legendary meeting between two desert hermits: Saint Anthony and Saint Paul of Thebes. The story unfolds across a continuous landscape, with Anthony encountering a centaur on his journey before finally embracing Paul. Delicate trees, rocky outcrops, and tiny birds fill the natural setting.

This tempera panel originally formed part of a predella beneath a larger altarpiece. Sassetta worked in Siena during the early Renaissance, maintaining the decorative grace of medieval painting while absorbing new ideas. The work hangs at the National Gallery of Art in Washington.