Who painted Madonna and Child with Saints Philip and Agnes?

Madonna and Child with Saints Philip and Agnes was painted by Donatello in 1425-01-01.

Where can I see Madonna and Child with Saints Philip and Agnes?

Madonna and Child with Saints Philip and Agnes is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is Madonna and Child with Saints Philip and Agnes?

Madonna and Child with Saints Philip and Agnes is associated with Early Renaissance.

Can I buy a print of Madonna and Child with Saints Philip and Agnes?

Museum-quality prints of Madonna and Child with Saints Philip and Agnes are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Madonna and Child with Saints Philip and Agnes

Donatello , 1425

Madonna and Child with Saints Philip and Agnes is a tempera painting by the Early Renaissance artist Donatello. It dates from 1425 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The painting shows the Virgin Mary holding the infant Christ at its core, flanked by the saints Philip the Apostle and Agnes of Rome.

The painting shows the Virgin Mary holding the infant Christ at its core, flanked by the saints Philip the Apostle and Agnes of Rome. Mary’s serene gaze and the Child’s blessing gesture emphasize a devotional focus on the Incarnation, while Philip is identified by the traditional martyr’s palm and Agnes by the lamb she carries, symbols of sacrifice and purity. Their presence functions as intercessors, linking the heavenly realm with earthly worship.

Executed in tempera on panel around 1425, the work was created for private contemplation and later entered the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it remains a testament to early Renaissance Marian devotion.

Technique & Style

Executed in tempera on panel, the work is a vertical-format religious painting measuring 59.1 cm in height and 14 cm in width, an unusually narrow proportion that shapes its compositional handling. The support is a wooden panel prepared for tempera, the standard technique of the period, allowing for the layered application of pigment characteristic of early fifteenth-century Italian practice. The narrow format concentrates the figures of the Madonna and Child flanked by Saints Philip and Agnes into a tightly grouped arrangement, with the slender dimensions reinforcing the vertical alignment of the sacred figures.

The painting is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where its condition has been preserved as part of the institution's holdings. The combination of tempera medium and panel support, together with the elongated proportions, situates the work stylistically within the devotional painting tradition of the 1420s.

History & Provenance

Created in 1425 by the artist Donato de' Bardi, this tempera painting on panel depicts the Madonna and Child flanked by Saints Philip and Agnes. The work, measuring approximately 59.1 cm in height, was executed during the early fifteenth century. While specific details regarding the original commissioner or the complete chain of ownership prior to its current location are not provided in the available records, the piece is presently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The artwork's inception date is firmly established as 1425, marking its place within the religious art genre of that period.

Overview

This painting, titled Madonna and Child with Saints Philip and Agnes, presents a traditional religious scene. The Virgin Mary is depicted seated on a throne-like chair, holding the infant Jesus. She is flanked by two saints: an older man with a long beard, identified as Saint Philip, and a younger woman holding a lamb and staff, representing Saint Agnes.

The artwork features a gold background, a common element in sacred art of the period, underscoring the spiritual significance of the figures.