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About This Work
This painting is a detail from the base of the altar in the Chapel of San Severo in Perugia. The design features classical motifs including sphinxes with elaborate scrollwork tails and a central floral medallion, reflecting the Renaissance interest in Roman 'grotesque' decoration. The work is executed in a monochromatic style against a warm ochre background to mimic stone relief.
The sphinx was a significant symbol in Renaissance Neoplatonism, representing the 'mysteries' and the necessary veiling of divine truth from the uninitiated. Its placement on a Christian altar base reflects the 'prisca theologia' tradition, which sought to harmonize classical Egyptian and Roman symbolism with Christian doctrine.