Fragment

The inclusion of St. Francis in this altarpiece honors the saint, suggesting that the altarpiece may have been originally built into the wall of a Franciscan institution in Tuscany. Two shields bearing the Borgherini family crest appear in the lower portion of the altarpiece's border, further suggesting that the chapel for which this altarpiece was made was likely owned or endowed by the family.

Glazed terracotta is both durable and decorative and the gleaming white of this piece would have stood out in the darkness of a church. The medium was made popular by Renaissance artist Luca della Robbia and came into fashion as a substitute for expensive carved marble. A rounded arch frame embellished with fruit and flower garlands as well as egg-and-dart and cord moldings accompanied the work when it was acquired, but was later determined not to be original and removed. Buglioni's work bears the influence of the della Robbias, particularly in the simple color scheme. Buglioni likely worked in the studio of Luca's nephew, Andrea, where he would have learned the technique of glazing terracotta.