The Catholic Kings with Saints Helena and Barbara

What it is

This panel painting, dated to 1485 and attributed to the Master of Manzanillo, shows the Catholic Monarchs kneeling in prayer at the lower edges of the picture. Two standing female saints in rich robes fill the centre. The left saint, crowned, holds a large wooden cross. The centre saint holds a palm frond and a small stone tower. An angel in white appears at the top right against a dark green background.

Why it matters

The painting was made during the reign of Isabella and her husband Ferdinand, and the curator describes it as showing the monarchs as patrons. Commissioning altarpieces and religious images was one way rulers displayed their piety and public standing. The picture therefore tells us about how the royal couple wanted to be seen by their subjects, and about the artists they employed.

Look closer

• Where do the kneeling figures sit in the picture, and why might the artist have placed the rulers lower than the saints?
• What objects do the saints hold, and what might each one tell a viewer about who they are?
• Who do you think this painting was meant to impress, and what does it leave out about the wider life of the kingdom?