Artwork
Madonna and Child with Donor
Madonna and Child with Donor is a tempera painting by the Byzantine icon painting artist Lippo Memmi. It dates from 1328 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The iconography reinforces the sacred hierarchy and the intimate relationship between the divine and the human through the donor's presence.
The painting depicts the Madonna and Child, a central subject in religious art, accompanied by a donor figure. Created by Lippo Memmi in 1327, the work exemplifies the Sienese tradition of sacred imagery, where the Virgin Mary and the Christ Child are presented as the focal point of devotion. The inclusion of a donor within the composition signifies a personal act of piety and patronage, reflecting the common medieval practice of commissioning religious images to express faith and secure spiritual intercession.
As a tempera on panel, the piece functions as a devotional object intended for private or communal veneration, embodying the theological significance of the Incarnation and the role of Mary as the mother of God. The iconography reinforces the sacred hierarchy and the intimate relationship between the divine and the human through the donor's presence.
Technique & Style
The work is executed in tempera on panel, a standard technique for Italian devotional painting of the early fourteenth century. This medium and support combination is documented in both the National Gallery of Art's cataloguing of the object and in its Wikidata record, which independently lists the materials as tempera and panel. The painting is classified as a religious work depicting the Madonna and Child, consistent with the small-scale, devotional format typical of Sienese panels of this period.
No additional information regarding specific pigments, ground preparation, gilding, panel construction, surface condition, or stylistic handling is provided in the available sources, so further technical detail cannot be substantiated from the documentation at hand.
History & Provenance
Madonna and Child with Donor, a tempera panel by Lippo Memmi, was created circa 1327, as recorded in contemporary documentation and later catalogues. The painting entered the Benson family collection in Paris around 1896 via the London dealer Thos. Agnew and Sons, subsequently passing to Robert Henry and Evelyn Holford Benson.
In 1927 the work, together with the rest of the Benson holdings, was sold to Duveen Brothers, and on 15 December 1936 it was acquired by the Andrew W. Mellon Educational and Charitable Trust. The Trust gifted the panel to the National Gallery of Art in 1937.
Overview
Lippo Memmi, a Sienese painter active in the early 14th century, created Madonna and Child with Donor in 1328. This tempera on panel painting presents a traditional religious scene, featuring the Virgin Mary holding the infant Jesus, accompanied by a kneeling male figure. The work exemplifies the devotional art prevalent in Italy during this period, showcasing Memmi's skilled execution of sacred imagery.
Context
Lippo Memmi was a prominent figure within the Sienese school of painting, working closely with his brother-in-law and influential artist, Simone Martini. Memmi's artistic approach was significantly shaped by Martini's innovations, and together they contributed to the development of the International Gothic style. This collaboration is particularly evident in works like their Annunciation with St. Margaret and St. Ansanus, showcasing shared stylistic tendencies.
Artist & collection
Artist
Lippo Memmi (c. 1291 – 1356) was an Italian painter from Siena. He was the foremost follower of Simone Martini, who was his brother-in-law. Together with Martini, in 1333 he painted what is regarded as one of the…
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