Artwork
The Coronation of the Virgin with Six Angels
The Coronation of the Virgin with Six Angels is a tempera painting by the Byzantine icon painting artist Agnolo Gaddi. It dates from 1390 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
History & Provenance
[1] It is presently exhibited in the European Paintings galleries, where it can be viewed by the public as part of the museum’s permanent holdings.
Created around 1370, the tempera-on-panel painting The Coronation of the Virgin with Six Angels is attributed to the artist Agnolo Gaddi. The work's modern ownership history begins with the Hon. William Keith Rous of Worstead House, Norfolk, who held the piece until selling it at Christie, Manson & Woods in London on June 29, 1934. At that auction, it was incorrectly cataloged as a work by Orcagna before being purchased by the London dealer Giuseppe Bellesi, who acted as an agent for Count Alessandro Contini Bonacossi of Florence.
The Count subsequently sold the painting to the Samuel H. Kress Foundation in New York in October 1935. Finally, the foundation transferred the artwork as a gift to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., in 1939, where it remains part of the Samuel H. Kress Collection.
The Coronation of the Virgin with Six Angels is housed in the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., belonging to the Samuel H. Kress Collection and having been gifted to the museum in 1939.[1][2] The work is listed in the collection without a publicly disclosed accession number, and the available documentation does not record any exhibition history.[1] It is presently exhibited in the European Paintings galleries, where it can be viewed by the public as part of the museum’s permanent holdings.
Overview
Agnolo Gaddi's The Coronation of the Virgin with Six Angels, created around 1390, is a religious painting executed in tempera on panel. This work exemplifies late 14th-century Florentine art, depicting a significant moment in Christian theology. The composition focuses on the Virgin Mary receiving her crown from Christ, a scene often surrounded by celestial figures, reflecting the devotional emphasis on Mary's role as Queen of Heaven during this period.
Subject & Meaning
The painting illustrates the Virgin Mary's coronation, a pivotal event in Christian belief where she is elevated to Queen of Heaven. Dressed in a white gown accented with green and pink, Mary is shown with her right hand raised as Christ places a golden crown upon her head. This gesture signifies her acceptance of divine honor and her intercessory role. The title indicates the presence of six angels, further emphasizing the celestial context of this sacred act.
Technique & Style
This artwork was created using tempera on panel, a common painting technique during the late medieval and early Renaissance periods in Italy. Tempera, made by mixing ground pigments with egg yolk, allowed artists to achieve clear lines, precise details, and a luminous finish. The medium was applied in thin, quick-drying layers onto a prepared wooden surface, contributing to the distinct visual clarity and vibrant color palette characteristic of Gaddi's work and his contemporaries.
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…
![Saint Bernard and Saint Catherine of Alexandria with the Virgin of the Annunciation [right panel], by Agnolo Gaddi](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/agnolo-gaddi--saint-bernard-and-saint-catherine-of-alexandria-with-the-vir--710fc1ea417a9916-w320.webp)
Saint Bernard and Saint Catherine of Alexandria with the Virgin of the Annunciation [right panel]![Saint Andrew and Saint Benedict with the Archangel Gabriel [left panel], by Agnolo Gaddi](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/agnolo-gaddi--saint-andrew-and-saint-benedict-with-the-archangel-gabriel-l--ddd94720dea7e794-w320.webp)
Saint Andrew and Saint Benedict with the Archangel Gabriel [left panel]![Madonna and Child with Saints Andrew, Benedict, Bernard, and Catherine of Alexandria with Angels [entire triptych], by Agnolo Gaddi](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/agnolo-gaddi--madonna-and-child-with-saints-andrew-benedict-bernard-and-ca--93a6585f38530738-w320.webp)
Madonna and Child with Saints Andrew, Benedict, Bernard, and Catherine of Alexandria with Angels [entire triptych]![Madonna and Child Enthroned with Twelve Angels, and with the Blessing Christ [middle panel], by Agnolo Gaddi](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/agnolo-gaddi--madonna-and-child-enthroned-with-twelve-angels-and-with-the--f99a5efe37ce8dda-w320.webp)
Madonna and Child Enthroned with Twelve Angels, and with the Blessing Christ [middle panel]
Triptych
Madonna with the child, St. John the Baptist, St. Francis and St. Anthony and a martyr
