Madonna with Sts John the Baptist and Donatus
1475-83
Wood, 189 x 191 cm
Duomo, Pistoia

by VERROCCHIO, Andrea del (b. 1435, Firenze, d. 1488, Venezia)
Andrea del Verrocchio (c. 1435–1488), born Andrea di Michele di Francesco de' Cioni, was an Italian sculptor, goldsmith and painter who worked at the court of Lorenzo de' Medici in Florence. His pupils included Leonardo da Vinci, Pietro Perugino and Lorenzo di Credi, but he also influenced Michelangelo. He worked in the serenely classic style of the Florentine Early Renaissance.

Although clearly revealing the large participation of his workshop, the intricate composition of the altarpiece is the product of Verrocchio's careful planning. While appearing a bit austere, Verrocchio incorporated the motifs that had modern appeal: the most recent architecture, still-life elements, a carefully modulated tile floor, and the beautiful oriental carpet down below with the fringes hanging over the last step.

A Turkish carpet (so called Holbein design), Anatolia, 16th century.