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s altarpiece painted by Palma Vecchio

The Polyptych of Saint Barbara (Italian: Polittico di Santa Barbara) was painted by Palma Vecchio in the early s as the altarpiece for the Venetian church of Santa Maria Formosa.

It is a composition of six panels, with Saint Barbara in the centre, under the dead Christ, and to the right and left Saints Dominic (or Vincent Ferrer), Sebastian, John the Baptist and Anthony the Abbot. The central panel of Saint Barbara is considered by many to be one of Palma's greatest achievements.

History

This altarpiece was painted in Palma Vecchio's middle or Giorgionesque period, at the request of the Bombardieri, the heavy artillerymen of Venice, for the altar of their chapel in the Church of Santa Maria Fomosa at Venice, where it still occupies its original place.^[1] The execution of the work was entrusted to Jacopo Palma, called II Vecchio, lit.&#;'the old', to distinguish him from hi