Artwork

A Shield Bearing a Hand Holding the Branch of a Tree (fragment of a panel from a painted ceiling)

A Shield Bearing a Hand Holding the Branch of a Tree (fragment of a panel from a painted ceiling) is a tempera painting by the Early Renaissance artist Unknown. It dates from 1470 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. A fragment of a painted ceiling panel, this work features a shield and hand holding a tree branch, executed in tempera.

About this work

Overview

A fragment of a painted ceiling panel, this work features a shield and hand holding a tree branch, executed in tempera.

Subject & Meaning

The painting depicts a beige shield with a red border, a hand grasping a brown branch with leaves, set against a complex red, black, and brown background with white lines and shapes.

Technique & Style

The tempera technique used here was typical for its time, but the work's worn condition, with faded colors and blurred details, now dominates its appearance.

Context

As part of a larger ceiling decoration, this fragment suggests a more extensive composition, though its original context is not specified.