Madonna and Child with Saints Peter and Paul (interior wings) and Saints Sebastian and Anthony Abbot (exterior wings)

This triptych presents a hierarchical arrangement of sacred figures, utilizing a gold-ground technique characteristic of late medieval devotional art to create a sense of eternal, divine space.
In the central panel, the artist depicts the Madonna seated upon an elevated, architectural throne. She is clothed in a heavy, dark mantle that anchors her figure within the composition, while her red undergarment provides a subtle warmth. Held upon her lap is the Christ Child, who gazes toward the viewer with an almost mature expression. The placement of the Child’s hand and the Virgins delicate gestures suggest a moment of quiet intercession. The throne itself, adorned with heraldic shields, implies that this vision was commissioned by a specific noble or ecclesiastical house, grounding the celestial scene in earthly politics.
Flanking this central group, the side panels feature two monumental saints. On the left, an elderly figure – likely Saint Peter – holds the keys to the kingdom, his face etched with lines of wisdom and devotion. His heavy, draped robes fall in deep, sculptural folds, creating a sense of physical weight. To the right, another apostle stands in a contrasting pose; his vibrant red mantle draws the eye, mirroring the color palette of the central Madonna. The artist has used light to define the musculature and fabric of these figures, providing a rhythmic balance across the three panels.
In the upper triangular sections (the lunettes), smaller, more ethereal figures appear amidst clouds. These celestial beings, painted with less physical density than the saints below, serve to bridge the gap between the earthly realm of the apostles and the divine realm of the gold background.
The subtext of this work lies in the intersection of divinity and authority. While the central theme is the veneration of the Virgin and Child, the inclusion of specific saints and heraldic symbols suggests a layer of social identity. The painting functions not just as an object of prayer, but as a claim to legitimacy, placing the patrons under the direct protection of the most powerful figures in the Christian hierarchy. The use of gold leaf serves to decontextualize these figures from human time, presenting them as permanent, luminous fixtures of a spiritual reality.