Saint Philip (or Saint John the Evangelist) and Saint Augustine – Musée des Augustins – Toulouse
The panel, originally part of the Polyptych of Sant’Agostino, depicts Saint John the Evangelist (or Saint Philip) and Saint Augustine. The painting was realized for the frontal part of the large structure, and therefore it dates back to the first phase of works (1502-1512).
The two figures stand side by side, the monumentality of the bodies is underlined by the volumes of the strongly draped clothes; the poses are soft, the composition is calm and very linear. The colors of the simple but elegant dresses are deep and bright, in contrast with the neutral and nuanced background of the landscape where the scene is set.
The lack of space around the two saints is unusual for Perugino: the table was in fact cut, perhaps during the dismemberment of the altarpiece in 1648.
The table was transported to France due to the Napoleonic requisitions and never came back to Italy. The work is preserved at the Musée des Augustins in Toulouse.
