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Bartolo di Fredi Cini

Madonna and Child, ca. 1380

Now On View

Description

Maker

  • Bartolo di Fredi Cini, Italian

Title

Madonna and Child

Year

ca. 1380

Medium

Tempera and gold on panel

Materials/Techniques

Materials

  • tempera,
  • gold

Supports

  • panel

Dimensions

90.2 x 63.5 cm (35 1/2 x 25 inches)

Type

  • Paintings

Credit

Anonymous gift

Object Number

20.207

About

Bartolo di Fredi produced important altarpieces in Siena and in the surrounding towns of Montalcino, San Gemignano, and Lusignano. The distinctive characteristics of the face, hands and earlobes of this Madonna and Child relate the panel to Bartolo’s flourishing workshop, as do the rich textiles and the trefoil designs within the internal arch of the frame. Late 14th century Sienese painting prolonged a Gothic style in which figures were set on gold grounds and clothed in harmonious fields of color and pattern that obscured their physicality. In this panel, the naturalism of the subjects’ direct gazes, the soft modeling of their faces, and the tender relationship of the figures contrast with the highly decorative setting. In spite of their restrained frontal poses, the figures convey Bartolo’s interest in a humanistic portrayal of the Divine.

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Exhibition History

Exhibition History

The Natural World, the Body, and the Divine

February 3 - April 16, 2006

European Galleries

This central panel from an altarpiece portrays Mary tenderly holding her infant son, Jesus. The two crowns he holds symbolize the reign of mother and son in the kingdom of heaven.

Wealthy patrons commissioned altar panels for the decoration of churches, specifying all aspects of their embellishment. Painters collaborated with artisans who created gilded, stamped designs and architectural relief, as seen in the background here. The luxurious costumes represent the exalted status of Mary and Jesus and celebrate the textiles produced and traded in the Tuscan region of Italy.

Use

The images on this website can enable discovery and collaboration and support new scholarship, and we encourage their use. This object is in the public domain (CC0 1.0). This object is Madonna and Child with the accession number of 20.207. To request high-resolution files or new photography, please send an email to imagerequest@risd.edu and include your name and the object's accession number.

Feedback

We view our online collection as a living documents, and our records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you have additional information or have spotted an error, please send feedback to curatorial@risd.edu.

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