Frame of Altarpiece of the Lives of the Virgin and Saint Francis

Altar frontals grew increasingly complex over time, culminating in the great Gothic altarpieces in which a number of separate scenes – each with its own frame – were encased within a single outer frame. This altarpiece consists of three vertical panes, each comprising three compartments, supported by a predella. The decoration, in gilded tracery featuring ogee arches and thistle leaves, was widely used in Spain at that time.