Artwork
Madonna and Child with the Donor, Pietro de' Lardi, Presented by Saint Nicholas
Madonna and Child with the Donor, Pietro de' Lardi, Presented by Saint Nicholas is a tempera painting by Master G.Z.. It dates from 1420 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This painting, rendered on wood, depicts a sacred encounter.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The presence of a coat of arms links the work to the Lardi family, reinforcing its devotional and commemorative purpose within a noble context.
The painting depicts the Virgin Mary holding the Christ Child, flanked by Saint Nicholas on the left and the donor Pietro de’ Lardi on the right, who kneels in prayer with his hands clasped. Saint Nicholas is identified by his traditional episcopal attributes, mitre and crozier, and presents the donor to the sacred figures, underscoring his role as intercessor. The Christ Child holds an apple, a symbol of the Fall and Christ’s redemptive mission, while the Virgin’s throne and the gilded background reference Byzantine iconography, emphasizing her celestial sovereignty.
The presence of a coat of arms links the work to the Lardi family, reinforcing its devotional and commemorative purpose within a noble context.
Technique & Style
Created in 1420, this religious panel painting utilizes tempera and gold leaf applied to a wood support. Originating from the Abbazia di Pomposa, the work measures 116.5 cm in height and 110.8 cm in width. Attributed to the Master G.Z., the piece depicts the Madonna and Child alongside Saint Nicholas and a donor figure, incorporating a coat of arms within the composition.
The use of gold leaf and tempera on wood reflects the standard materials and techniques of early 15th-century Italian religious art. The formal arrangement places the sacred figures centrally, consistent with the genre's devotional function. The physical dimensions and material composition align with the classification of a painted panel from the period.
History & Provenance
The panel was produced in 1420 by Master G.Z., with the work executed at the Abbazia di Pomposa, the Benedictine abbey in northern Italy that served as the artist's documented base. It was created as a devotional image pairing the Madonna and Child with the donor Pietro de' Lardi and a presentation figure of Saint Nicholas, painted in tempera and gold leaf on wood. The painting subsequently entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is currently held.
Its recorded exhibition history at the Metropolitan includes Masterpieces of Art: European Paintings and Sculpture from 1300–1800, Arts of the Middle Ages, and Patterns of Collecting: Selected Acquisitions, 1965–1975.
The painting Madonna and Child with the Donor, Pietro de' Lardi, Presented by Saint Nicholas is held in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it forms part of the museum’s permanent collection. Though its specific accession number is not documented in available records, the work has been included in notable exhibitions. Among these are Masterpieces of Art: European Paintings and Sculpture from 1300–1800 and Arts of the Middle Ages, as well as Patterns of Collecting: Selected Acquisitions, 1965–1975, reflecting its significance within the museum’s medieval holdings.
Overview
This painting, rendered on wood, depicts a sacred encounter. Titled Madonna and Child with the Donor, Pietro de' Lardi, Presented by Saint Nicholas, it brings together divine and earthly figures within a luminous, church-like environment. The composition centers on the Virgin Mary holding the Christ Child, flanked by a prominent saint, while a kneeling patron observes the holy scene.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Master G.Z. painted saints like neighbors. The halos are real gold leaf, hammered thin, and a donor kneels close, his velvet sleeves brushing the Virgin's robe, its folds so deep they look carved from marble. Look for…
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