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Madonna and Child Enthroned with Saint Peter and Saint Paul is associated with Early Renaissance.

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Museum-quality prints of Madonna and Child Enthroned with Saint Peter and Saint Paul are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Madonna and Child Enthroned with Saint Peter and Saint Paul

Domenico di Bartolo , 1430

Madonna and Child Enthroned with Saint Peter and Saint Paul is a tempera painting by the Early Renaissance artist Domenico di Bartolo. It dates from 1430 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The work functions as a devotional object, intended to inspire reverence for the Virgin, the infant Jesus, and the apostolic witnesses depicted alongside them.

The painting depicts the Virgin Mary enthroned with the Christ Child, flanked by Saint Peter and Saint Paul the Apostle. As a work of religious art created in 1430, the composition centers on the sacred hierarchy of the Madonna and Child, a common subject in 15th-century devotional imagery. The inclusion of Peter and Paul, the principal apostles of the Church, frames the central figures and likely signifies the foundational authority of the Church or serves as a specific dedication to these saints.

The arrangement places the holy figures in a formal, elevated setting, emphasizing their spiritual status and the theological importance of the Incarnation. The work functions as a devotional object, intended to inspire reverence for the Virgin, the infant Jesus, and the apostolic witnesses depicted alongside them.

Technique & Style

Domenico di Bartolo's Madonna and Child Enthroned with Saint Peter and Saint Paul, created circa 1430, is executed as a painting on wood panel. The medium is identified as tempera, though some records note this attribution with uncertainty. The work functions as a vertical devotional panel, measuring 53 centimeters in height and 31 centimeters in width.

Stylistically, the piece belongs to the religious genre, depicting the Virgin and Child flanked by the apostles Peter and Paul in an enthroned composition. The physical support consists of a single panel structure typical of early 15th-century Italian painting practices. While the specific handling of the tempera application and current conservation condition are not detailed in the available records, the work's classification remains firmly within the realm of panel painting from the Quattrocento period.

History & Provenance

Madonna and Child Enthroned with Saint Peter and Saint Paul was painted by Domenico di Bartolo circa 1430 in tempera on panel. The work entered the collection of George Ashburnham, 3rd Earl of Ashburnham, possibly acquired during his residence at Villa Pasquale near Florence, and passed by inheritance to his son Bertram, 4th Earl, then to Bertram, 5th Earl, and subsequently to his daughter Lady Mary Catherine Charlotte Ashburnham. By 1919 it was in the hands of Duveen Brothers, sold in 1944 to the Samuel H. Kress Collection, and donated to the National Gallery of Art in 1961 as part of the Kress gift.

The painting currently resides in the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., as part of the Samuel H. Kress Collection. Its path to the museum began with the Ashburnham family, passing from George Ashburnham, 3rd Earl, through successive inheritances to Lady Mary Catherine Charlotte Ashburnham. By 1919, the work was held by Duveen Brothers, Inc., operating in London and New York.

In 1944, it was sold to the Samuel H. Kress Collection in New York. Finally, in 1961, it was gifted to the National Gallery of Art. While specific exhibition records are not detailed in the provided texts, its inclusion in the Kress bequest implies its presence in the gallery's permanent holdings since the early 1960s.

Legacy

The painting’s later reputation stems from its acquisition by the Samuel H. Kress Collection in 1944 and its donation to the National Gallery of Art in 1961, which placed a 15th‑century Italian panel in a public museum and stimulated scholarly attention to Domenico di Bartolo’s oeuvre. Its documented provenance through the Ashburnham family illustrates a notable trajectory of private ownership that culminated in a major American philanthropic acquisition, exemplifying the transatlantic movement of art in the early 20th century. As part of the National Gallery of Art’s holdings, the work is frequently cited in studies of early Renaissance religious imagery and continues to influence contemporary interpretations of Madonna and Child compositions.

Overview

This painting, titled Madonna and Child Enthroned with Saint Peter and Saint Paul, depicts a central religious scene. Executed possibly in tempera on a wooden panel, the artwork showcases the Virgin Mary and Christ Child seated on a throne. They are flanked by the standing figures of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, arranged with a sense of balance and visual order. The composition highlights the artist's ability to organize multiple figures into a cohesive and reverent tableau.