Bartolomeo Montagna, 'Saint Zeno, Saint John the Baptist and a Female Martyr', probably about 1495

Saint John the Baptist is shown between Saint Zeno, the fourth-century Bishop of Verona, and a female saint, who holds a book and a branch of palm, the traditional symbol of martyrs – those who were executed for their faith. Because of the finery of her clothing and her long flowing hair, she may be Saint Catherine, who was a princess from Alexandria. However, the saint is usually shown with the spiked wheel used in her torture, so it is difficult to be sure.

Saint John carries a fine reed cross, a symbol of Christ’s crucifixion. The scroll curled around it is inscribed in Latin with the words John spoke about Christ when he was preaching in the wilderness (John 1: 29, 36): ECCE AGNVS (‘Behold the Lamb’). This refers to the Jewish tradition of sacrificing lambs to God. The sinews of the saint’s arms are visible beneath his skin, a sign of his lifestyle in the desert where, according to the Gospel of John, he ate only locusts and honey. He points upwards to God in heaven.

The picture is in poor condition, partly because the paint surface has been transferred from the wooden panel on which it was painted to canvas. It’s possible that the picture was cut down at this time, and that the saints may have originally been represented in full-length. The picture’s condition makes it difficult to be certain who made it. A damaged signature on a fictive cartellino, or piece of paper, on the rock above has been painted over but reads: Bart(b?)olomeus mo[n] / tanea pinxit (‘Bartolommeo Montagna painted this’). As there is so much overpainting it is difficult to know if the signature is genuine, but the overpainting may have been intended to reinforce the original inscription.