From the 1450s in Florence, the design of altarpieces began to change. This innovation was driven by growing demand from both religious organisations and private citizens. The pala replaced the multi-panelled polyptych as the most popular format for newly commissioned altarpieces.
The polyptych provided many different fields (areas) for painting, often divided by a complex frame. By contrast, the pala offered a single large rectangular space. This new format allowed artists to depict holy figures and events in sweeping landscapes or believable architectural settings, using linear perspective in increasingly sophisticated ways.
More and more spaces within the most wealthy private homes were adorned with works of art. Residents and visitors would have encountered such images while moving through the palace.
Large workshops headed by leading artists met rising demand and a desire for ever more ambitious projects. Many painters also worked as goldsmiths, sculptors or designers of stained glass and textiles. Collaboration was key to the workshop’s success. The master and his juniors often worked in partnership, even on small-scale projects.
As well as learning from each other, artists were also inspired by innovations elsewhere. Netherlandish paintings, which were prized and collected by Florence's elite, had a profound impact on the city's painters.
