Artwork
Virgin and Child with Saints
Virgin and Child with Saints is an unspecified painting by the Sienese School artist Ugolino di Nerio. It dates from 1320 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The work functions as a devotional object, embodying the spiritual values of early fourteenth-century Italy through its focus on these sacred personages.
Created in 1320 by the Italian artist Ugolino di Nerio, this religious painting centers on the Madonna and Child as its primary subject. The composition depicts the Virgin Mary holding the Christ Child, a standard iconographic theme in Christian art representing the incarnation and divine motherhood. While the title suggests the inclusion of additional holy figures alongside the central pair, the available records specifically confirm the depiction of Mary and Jesus.
The work functions as a devotional object, embodying the spiritual values of early fourteenth-century Italy through its focus on these sacred personages.
History & Provenance
Virgin and Child with Saints is a religious panel painted by Ugolino di Nerio in 1320, produced in Italy. The work entered the collection of Frederick Mont before being acquired by the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is now held under the accession number 1961.40. The painting's documented ownership chain therefore moves from its original Italian context through Mont and ultimately to its present institutional home in Cleveland.
The painting Virgin and Child with Saints by Ugolino di Nerio, created circa 1320, is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. The work carries the accession number 1961.40. Prior to its acquisition by the museum, the panel was owned by Frederick Mont.
The available records confirm the work's location in Cleveland and its specific inventory designation, though no details regarding specific past exhibitions are provided in the current sources.
Legacy
The work titled Virgin and Child with Saints, executed by Ugolino di Nerio around 1320, exemplifies early 14th‑century Italian religious painting. Its iconography centers on the Madonna and Child, with accompanying saints, reflecting devotional practices of the period. The painting entered the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is catalogued as part of the museum’s holdings and was previously owned by Frederick Mont.
As a preserved example of medieval devotional art, it continues to be referenced in scholarly studies of Italian panel painting and the evolution of Marian imagery.
Overview
Ugolino di Nerio, a Sienese painter active in the early 14th century, created Virgin and Child with Saints around 1320. This panel painting exemplifies the devotional art prevalent in Tuscany during this period. It features a central depiction of the Madonna and Christ Child, flanked and surmounted by various holy figures. The work is presently housed in the collection of The Cleveland Museum of Art.
Technique & Style
Ugolino di Nerio worked within the Sienese school, drawing influence from his predecessor Duccio di Buoninsegna. This panel reflects characteristics of early Sienese painting, including a rich use of gold for halos, decorative borders, and luminous backgrounds, which emphasize the divine nature of the figures. The careful arrangement and idealized forms contribute to the work's spiritual impact and decorative quality.
Context
Active between 1317 and 1327, Ugolino played a role in disseminating Sienese artistic conventions beyond Siena itself. His commissions in prominent Florentine churches, such as Santa Maria Novella and Santa Croce, helped introduce the distinctive Sienese style to Florence. This cross-pollination of artistic ideas was significant for the development of painting in central Italy during the early Trecento.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Ugolino di Nerio (1280? – 1349) was an Italian painter active in his native city of Siena and in Florence between the years 1317 and 1327. He was a follower of Duccio di Buoninsegna, from whose Maestà some of his…
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