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Artwork

Enthroned Virgin and Child, with Saints Paul, Peter, Clare of Assisi, Mary Magdalene, Barbara, Catherine of Alexandria, John the Baptist, John the Evangelist, Agnes, Cecilia, Margaret of Antioch, and George

Master of Saint Veronica , 1400

Enthroned Virgin and Child, with Saints Paul, Peter, Clare of Assisi, Mary Magdalene, Barbara, Catherine of Alexandria, John the Baptist, John the Evangelist, Agnes, Cecilia, Margaret of Antioch, and George, by Master of Saint Veronica, oil, 1400
Enthroned Virgin and Child, with Saints Paul, Peter, Clare of Assisi, Mary Magdalene, Barbara, Catherine of Alexandria, John the Baptist, John the Evangelist, Agnes, Cecilia, Margaret of Antioch, and George, by Master of Saint Veronica, oil, 1400

Enthroned Virgin and Child, with Saints Paul, Peter, Clare of Assisi, Mary Magdalene, Barbara, Catherine of Alexandria, John the Baptist, John the Evangelist, Agnes, Cecilia, Margaret of Antioch, and George is an oil painting by the Northern Renaissance artist Master of Saint Veronica. It dates from 1400 and is held in the collection of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Created around 1400, this oil on panel presents the Virgin Mary enthroned with the infant Christ at her side.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

This religious panel painting centers on the Virgin Mary enthroned with the Christ Child, a composition emphasizing divine authority and maternal intercession.

This religious panel painting centers on the Virgin Mary enthroned with the Christ Child, a composition emphasizing divine authority and maternal intercession. The work is populated by a specific assembly of saints flanking the central figures, including the apostles Peter and Paul, and the evangelists John the Baptist and John the Evangelist.

The inclusion of female martyrs such as Clare of Assisi, Mary Magdalene, Barbara, Catherine of Alexandria, Agnes, Cecilia, and Margaret of Antioch alongside the warrior saint George creates a comprehensive heavenly court. This gathering of diverse holy figures serves to represent the universal Church, uniting various patron saints and models of faith in a single devotional space focused on the Incarnation.

Technique & Style

The work is an oil painting on wooden panel created by the Master of Saint Veronica in 1400. It depicts the Virgin and Child enthroned alongside saints including Paul, Peter, Clare of Assisi, Mary Magdalene, Barbara, Catherine of Alexandria, John the Baptist, John the Evangelist, Agnes, Cecilia, Margaret of Antioch, and George. The composition and stylistic treatment reflect early 15th-century religious imagery, with attention to devotional gesture and hierarchical arrangement of figures.

The painting measures 336.8 cm in height and 235.2 cm in width and was originally owned by John G. Johnson.

History & Provenance

The panel is attributed to the Master of Saint Veronica and dated to circa 1400, aligning with the documented activity period of this anonymous painter active in the Rhineland around Cologne.

It entered the Philadelphia Museum of Art through the John G. Johnson Collection, bequeathed in 1917 and formally accessioned in 1933. The work was previously in the possession of John Graver Johnson, a Philadelphia lawyer and collector, whose holdings were transferred intact to the museum in 1933.

The Enthroned Virgin and Child, with Saints Paul, Peter, Clare of Assisi, Mary Magdalene, Barbara, Catherine of Alexandria, John the Baptist, John the Evangelist, Agnes, Cecilia, Margaret of Antioch, and George is held in the collection of the Philadelphia Museum of Art in Philadelphia. The work was previously owned by John G. Johnson before entering the museum's holdings. No specific accession number or detailed exhibition history is provided in the available records.

Overview

Created around 1400, this oil on panel presents the Virgin Mary enthroned with the infant Christ at her side. She is crowned and draped in a blue mantle, while a host of saints, Paul, Peter, Clare of Assisi, Mary Magdalene, Barbara, Catherine of Alexandria, John the Baptist, John the Evangelist, Agnes, Cecilia, Margaret of Antioch, and George, assemble around the throne. The figures occupy a dark blue backdrop framed by white arches, each rendered in vivid, individualized costume.

Context

The piece reflects the period’s devotional practice of assembling a “sacra conversazione,” a gathering of saints from various epochs sharing a unified space. Such compositions served both liturgical functions and private contemplation, often commissioned for chapels or wealthy patrons seeking intercession from a broad spectrum of holy figures.

Enthroned Virgin and Child, with Angels
Enthroned Virgin and Child, with Angels, Gerard David

Artist & collection

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Frequently asked questions

Who painted Enthroned Virgin and Child, with Saints Paul, Peter, Clare of Assisi, Mary Magdalene, Barbara, Catherine of Alexandria, John the Baptist, John the Evangelist, Agnes, Cecilia, Margaret of Antioch, and George?

Enthroned Virgin and Child, with Saints Paul, Peter, Clare of Assisi, Mary Magdalene, Barbara, Catherine of Alexandria, John the Baptist, John the Evangelist, Agnes, Cecilia, Margaret of Antioch, and George was painted by Master of Saint Veronica in 1400.

Where can I see Enthroned Virgin and Child, with Saints Paul, Peter, Clare of Assisi, Mary Magdalene, Barbara, Catherine of Alexandria, John the Baptist, John the Evangelist, Agnes, Cecilia, Margaret of Antioch, and George?

Enthroned Virgin and Child, with Saints Paul, Peter, Clare of Assisi, Mary Magdalene, Barbara, Catherine of Alexandria, John the Baptist, John the Evangelist, Agnes, Cecilia, Margaret of Antioch, and George is held by Philadelphia Museum of Art.

What movement is Enthroned Virgin and Child, with Saints Paul, Peter, Clare of Assisi, Mary Magdalene, Barbara, Catherine of Alexandria, John the Baptist, John the Evangelist, Agnes, Cecilia, Margaret of Antioch, and George?

Enthroned Virgin and Child, with Saints Paul, Peter, Clare of Assisi, Mary Magdalene, Barbara, Catherine of Alexandria, John the Baptist, John the Evangelist, Agnes, Cecilia, Margaret of Antioch, and George is associated with Northern Renaissance.

Can I buy a print of Enthroned Virgin and Child, with Saints Paul, Peter, Clare of Assisi, Mary Magdalene, Barbara, Catherine of Alexandria, John the Baptist, John the Evangelist, Agnes, Cecilia, Margaret of Antioch, and George?

Museum-quality prints of Enthroned Virgin and Child, with Saints Paul, Peter, Clare of Assisi, Mary Magdalene, Barbara, Catherine of Alexandria, John the Baptist, John the Evangelist, Agnes, Cecilia, Margaret of Antioch, and George are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.