--- title: San Marco Altarpiece author: Louis-garden source: https://www.worldhistory.org/image/21349/san-marco-altarpiece/ format: machine-readable-alternate license: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) updated: 2025-12-07 --- # San Marco Altarpiece _Authored by Louis-garden_ ## Image File [![San Marco Altarpiece](https://www.worldhistory.org/uploads/images/21349.jpg)](https://www.worldhistory.org/uploads/images/21349.jpg) ## Image Caption *San Marco Altarpiece*, painting by Fra Angelico, photograph by Louis-Garden, Florence, 13 February, 2012. Between the years of 1438-1442 CE, Fra Angelico created *The San Marco Altarpiece*. As the name suggests, it was originally intended for the high altar at the convent at San Marco in Florence, [Italy](https://www.worldhistory.org/italy/), though it was disassembled into a collection of panels in the 1800s. What is notable about this piece is that it is one of the earliest examples of *sacra conversazione*- or holy conversation. The Madonna and Child are flanked by saints who no longer face the viewer from isolated panels as in years past, but rather face each other, engaged in informal conversation within a single frame. The composition of the *San Marco Altarpiece*, relying on techniques such as linear perspective, deep recessions and logical use of space, was hugely influential and in many ways became the blueprint for Florentine Renaissance painting. ## Cite This Work ### APA Louis-garden. (2025, December 07). San Marco Altarpiece. *World History Encyclopedia*. ### Chicago Louis-garden. "San Marco Altarpiece." *World History Encyclopedia*, December 07, 2025. . ### MLA Louis-garden. "San Marco Altarpiece." *World History Encyclopedia*, 07 Dec 2025, . ## License & Copyright [Original image](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:TotalPalaSanMarco.jpg) by [**Louis-garden**](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:TotalPalaSanMarco.jpg). Submitted by [Hillary Smith](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/hillarysmith/ "User Page: Hillary Smith"), published on 07 December 2025. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0deed.en). This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon a work even for commercial reasons, as long as they credit the author and license their new creations under the identical terms. When republishing on the web a hyperlink back to the original content source URL must be included. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms.