Artwork
Madonna with the child, St. John the Baptist, St. Francis and St. Anthony and a martyr
Madonna with the child, St. John the Baptist, St. Francis and St. Anthony and a martyr is a paint painting by the Byzantine icon painting artist Agnolo Gaddi. It dates from 1375 and is held in the collection of the Gemäldegalerie Berlin. Created circa 1375, this tempera panel presents the Virgin Mary with the infant Christ surrounded by four holy figures.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The panel portrays the Virgin Mary cradling the infant Jesus alongside the youthful figure of John the Baptist, the austere saint Francis of Assisi, the contemplative saint Anthony of Padua, and an unidentified martyr. These saints were traditionally associated with intercessory roles within Franciscan devotion, reflecting the devotional context of late‑fourteenth‑century Italian religious art. The inclusion of the child John underscores his prophetic connection to Christ, while Francis and Anthony embody the mendicant spirituality that flourished in Tuscany during the period.
The martyr’s presence may allude to collective suffering and the hope for divine protection, a theme common in Gaddi’s works for the Gemäldegalerie Berlin collection.
Technique & Style
Dated to 1375, the work belongs to the late Trecento period of Italian religious art.
The painting is executed in paint on a poplar panel support. Dated to 1375, the work belongs to the late Trecento period of Italian religious art. The medium and panel construction reflect standard practices of Florentine panel painting of the era, when poplar was commonly employed for its workability and availability.
As a religious genre painting depicting multiple saints alongside the Madonna and Child, the composition follows the devotional multipanel tradition of fourteenth-century Italy, though presented here in a single panel format.
History & Provenance
Created in 1375 by the Italian painter Agnolo Gaddi, this religious panel painting was executed on a poplar support using paint. The work, which depicts the Madonna and Child alongside Saints John the Baptist, Francis, Anthony, and an unnamed martyr, is currently held in the collection of the Gemäldegalerie in Berlin. Within the museum, it is displayed in the gallery dedicated to Italian paintings from the 13th to 15th centuries, specifically in room 40.
No further details regarding its original commission, early ownership history, or specific acquisition date by the Berlin museum are provided in the available records.
The work is housed in the Gemäldegalerie Berlin, specifically in the Italian painting 13.-15th-century room 40. Its inventory number is not explicitly stated in the sources, but the accession is recorded under the Gemäldegalerie Berlin collection. The painting has been part of the museum’s exhibition of Italian religious art from the 14th century, though specific exhibition titles or dates are not detailed in the provided documentation.
Overview
Created circa 1375, this tempera panel presents the Virgin Mary with the infant Christ surrounded by four holy figures. The central pair is framed by Saint John the Baptist, Saint Francis of Assisi, Saint Anthony the Great and an unidentified martyr, forming a balanced devotional grouping typical of late‑fourteenth‑century Florentine art.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Agnolo Gaddi (c.1350–1396) was an Italian painter. He was born and died in Florence, and was the son of the painter Taddeo Gaddi, who was himself the major pupil of the Florentine master Giotto. Agnolo was a painter…
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