Artwork
Madonna and Child with Saints and Angels
Madonna and Child with Saints and Angels is a tempera painting by the Byzantine icon painting artist Lippo Memmi. It dates from 1350 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The composition emphasizes the sacred lineage and intercessory role of the saints, with Mary's central position underscoring her role as the Theotokos.
The painting depicts the Virgin Mary holding the Christ Child, flanked by saints and angels in a sacra conversazione arrangement. Saint Francis of Assisi, identifiable by his Franciscan habit and stigmata, kneels to the left, while Saint John the Baptist appears to the right, holding his traditional attribute of a lamb. Angels occupy the upper register, one bearing a scroll inscribed with a blessing.
The composition emphasizes the sacred lineage and intercessory role of the saints, with Mary's central position underscoring her role as the Theotokos. The iconography reflects contemporary Sienese devotional traditions, merging Byzantine hieratic forms with Franciscan piety, where the saints' presence signals their spiritual mediation between the earthly and divine realms.
Technique & Style
Madonna and Child with Saints and Angels is executed in tempera on a wooden panel, a medium and support typical of Italian panel painting in the mid-14th century. The work dates to circa 1350 and is attributed to Lippo Memmi. Its religious genre places it within the devotional panel tradition of the Sienese Gothic style, characterized by the delicate, linear handling achievable with tempera. The panel measures approximately 66.7 cm in height and 33 cm in width.
History & Provenance
Created in 1350, this tempera panel painting is attributed to Lippo Memmi (also known as Filippo di Memmo). While specific details regarding its original commission or early ownership chain are not recorded in the available sources, the painting is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Overview
This painting, titled Madonna and Child with Saints and Angels, presents a devotional scene. It depicts the Virgin Mary cradling the infant Jesus on her lap, encased within an ornate, church-window-like golden frame. Surrounding the central figures are smaller representations of saints and angels, subtly integrated into the composition. The artwork's overall impression is one of sacred reverence, characteristic of its period.
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…
