This work was part of Bernardino Renier’s collection and bequeathed to the Gallerie dell’Accademia in 1850. Although the original destination of this piece is unknown, the fine quality of the work suggests it may have been a private commission intended for a high-profile patron. However, it may simply have been destined for the general art market. The highly realistic, sculpted figures in the foreground possess an almost three-dimensional quality and are testament to the range of styles Cima da Conegliano deploys, including those of Antonello da Messina, Alvise Vivarini, and, naturally, Giovanni Bellini. The concept of the dramatic close-up is taken from Bellini, perhaps even directly from a painting of his that is no longer extant. These stylistic references and a technique that highlights the emotional and technical quality of the piece would lead one to assume that it is one of his earlier works, from around 1490.