Artwork
Virgin and Child Enthroned
Virgin and Child Enthroned is a tempera painting by the Early Renaissance artist Niccolò di Pietro Gerini. It dates from 1404 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston. Created in 1404, this tempera panel presents the Virgin Mary seated upon an ornate throne, cradling the infant Christ.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The painting shows the Virgin seated on a throne holding the infant Christ, a standard iconography for the Madonna and Child within a celestial setting.
The painting shows the Virgin seated on a throne holding the infant Christ, a standard iconography for the Madonna and Child within a celestial setting. The throne and accompanying angels emphasize the heavenly context and reinforce the divine hierarchy. The work belongs to the religious art genre and was created in 1404 using tempera on panel, reflecting devotional practices of the period.
The composition symbolizes maternal tenderness and the incarnation, with the Virgin’s direct gaze and the Child’s blessing gesture underscoring spiritual protection and salvation. As part of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston collection, the piece exemplifies early 15th‑century Florentine devotion, linking artistic form to theological meaning.
Technique & Style
Created in 1404, the Virgin and Child Enthroned is executed in tempera on a wooden panel. The support measures 146 cm in height and 70.5 cm in width. As a religious painting by Niccolò di Pietro Gerini, the work depicts the Madonna and Child as its main subject. The medium and format are consistent with the devotional panel painting traditions of the period.
History & Provenance
The painting Virgin and Child Enthroned was created by Niccolò di Pietro Gerini in 1404. Executed in tempera on a panel, the work measures 146 cm in height and 70.5 cm in width. It depicts the Virgin Mary and the Christ Child as its main subject within the religious genre. The artwork is currently held in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.
The Virgin and Child Enthroned by Niccolò di Pietro Gerini is held in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Created in 1404, this tempera-on-panel painting depicts the Madonna and Child as its main subject. While the specific inventory or accession number is not provided in the available records, the work is confirmed to reside in the Boston institution's permanent holdings. No specific exhibition history or past loan records are documented in the provided sources.
Overview
Created in 1404, this tempera panel presents the Virgin Mary seated upon an ornate throne, cradling the infant Christ. The figures are rendered against a luminous gold ground, their gazes meeting in a calm exchange. The composition reflects the devotional conventions of early 15th‑century Italy, emphasizing the sacred bond between mother and child.
Artist & collection
Artist
Niccolò di Pietro Gerini (c. 1340 – 1414) was an Italian painter of the late Gothic period, active mainly in his native Florence although he also carried out commissions in Pisa and Prato. He was not an innovative…
