Artwork
Madonna and Child Enthroned with Saints and Angels
Madonna and Child Enthroned with Saints and Angels is a tempera painting by Francesco Botticini. It dates from 1491 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The inclusion of saints and angels reinforces the celestial nature of the gathering, presenting a hierarchical vision of the heavenly court.
The painting depicts a sacred assembly centered on the Madonna and Child, who serve as the main subject of the composition. Mary is shown enthroned, holding the Christ Child, surrounded by a group of saints and angels. As a work of religious art created in 1481, the scene illustrates traditional Christian iconography where the Virgin Mary and Jesus are the focal point of veneration.
The inclusion of saints and angels reinforces the celestial nature of the gathering, presenting a hierarchical vision of the heavenly court. The figures are arranged to emphasize the divine status of the Mother and Son, a standard convention in devotional paintings of this period. The work functions as a visual representation of the theological concept of the Virgin's intercessory role and the communion of saints.
Technique & Style
Executed in 1481, the work is a tempera painting on panel, a standard late-Quattrocento Florentine technique suited to the meticulous devotional imagery it carries. Its substantial dimensions, approximately 280.7 cm in height and 175.3 cm in width, indicate a large-scale altarpiece support, consistent with the hierarchical arrangement of the Madonna and Child enthroned among saints and angels. The use of egg tempera on a wooden panel allowed for the layered, linear handling typical of Botticini's workshop, supporting crisp contours and finely detailed figures.
The panel format and religious genre classification situate the work firmly within the panel-painting tradition of Renaissance Florence.
History & Provenance
The painting titled Madonna and Child Enthroned with Saints and Angels was created by Francesco Botticini, also known as Francesco di Giovanni, in 1481. Executed in tempera on a panel, the work measures 280.7 cm in height and 175.3 cm in width. While the specific commissioning patron is not detailed in the available records, the work is firmly dated to the early 1480s, with a specific inception date of January 1, 1481.
The piece depicts religious subjects including the Virgin Mary, the Christ Child, various saints, and angels. Currently, the artwork resides in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is classified as a significant example of religious art from the late 15th century.
The painting Madonna and Child Enthroned with Saints and Angels by Francesco Botticini is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Created in 1481, the work is executed in tempera on panel and measures 280.7 cm in height by 175.3 cm in width. The provided sources do not contain a specific accession or inventory number for this piece, nor do they list any exhibition history or past display records.
Consequently, while the current institutional location and physical dimensions are documented, the detailed provenance regarding its movement through exhibitions or specific catalog numbers remains absent from the available data.
Overview
Francesco Botticini, an Italian painter from the Early Renaissance, completed Madonna and Child Enthroned with Saints and Angels in 1491. This tempera panel painting depicts the Virgin Mary holding the Christ Child, surrounded by celestial and earthly figures. The work exemplifies the religious themes prevalent in Florentine art of the late 15th century and is now housed in The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Francesco Botticini (real name Francesco di Giovanni, 1446 – 16 January 1498) was an Italian painter of the Early Renaissance.
- Madonna and Child Enthroned with Saints
Madonna and Child Enthroned with Saints and Angels
Madonna and Child with Saints and Angels
Madonna and Child Enthroned with Saints
Madonna and Child Enthroned with Saints and Donor
Madonna and Child Enthroned with Angels and Saints
Madonna and Child Enthroned between Angels and Saints
Madonna and Child Enthroned with Saints