Artwork
Madonna of Humility
Madonna of Humility is an unspecified painting by the Byzantine icon painting artist Olivuccio di Ciccarello. It dates from 1394 and is held in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Specifically, the work illustrates the Virgin Mary holding the Christ Child, representing the iconography of the Madonna of Humility.
The painting depicts the Madonna and Child, a central subject in religious art. Specifically, the work illustrates the Virgin Mary holding the Christ Child, representing the iconography of the Madonna of Humility. This genre portrays Mary seated directly on the ground rather than on a throne, symbolizing her humility and approachability.
Created by Olivuccio di Ciccarello in 1387, the piece serves as a visual representation of these theological concepts within the context of Bolognese religious painting.
History & Provenance
The painting known as the Madonna of Humility was created in 1387 by the artist Olivuccio di Ciccarello. Classified as a religious work, it depicts the Virgin Mary with the Christ Child. The piece is currently held in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, where it remains located.
While the specific circumstances of its original commission and the detailed chain of ownership prior to its arrival at the museum are not provided in the available records, the date of inception is firmly established as 1387.
The Madonna of Humility, painted by Olivuccio di Ciccarello in 1387, is held in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. This religious work, which depicts the Virgin Mary and the Christ Child, is cataloged within the museum's holdings as a painting by the Bolognese creator. The artwork remains a part of the institution's collection, where it is identified by its specific accession details within the museum's records.
Overview
The Madonna of Humility is a tempera panel painted in 1394 by Olivuccio di Ciccarello, an Italian artist whose career spanned from the late 1380s until his death in 1439. Executed in the late Gothic period, the work is now part of the Art Institute of Chicago’s collection and exemplifies the devotional imagery common to the era.
Technique & Style
Rendered in the Byzantine iconographic tradition, the painting employs a restrained palette of soft blues, golds, and muted earth tones. Tempera brushwork creates a smooth, luminous surface, while gilded details on the angels’ wings and halos add a subtle brilliance. Signs of aging appear as faint wear in the paint layers, attesting to the work’s centuries‑long history.
Artist & collection
Artist
Olivuccio di Ciccarello (died 1439) was an Italian painter. Little is known of his life. He was a native of Camerino and was active from 1388 until his death. In 2002 works formerly attributed to an obscure painter…
![Madonna of Humility, The Blessing Christ, Two Angels, and a Donor [obverse], by Andrea di Bartolo](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/andrea-di-bartolo--madonna-of-humility-the-blessing-christ-two-angels-and-a-don--d37c382429905539-w320.webp)