Manuscript Illumination with the Birth of the Virgin in an Initial G, from a Gradual

Don Silvestro de' Gherarducci Italian

Not on view

Were it not for the halos, one might think that this scene, painted by a monk celebrated as a painter, illuminator, and successful administrator of Santa Maria degli Angeli, represents morning in a wealthy home in Florence. Surrounded by bright silks on the bed and walls of her chamber, Saint Anne gazes down as midwives bathe her child, the Virgin Mary. Servants enter and exit at the right, one partly hidden by the framing initial. Lilies, symbolic of the Virgin's purity, fill the border; one cuts through the initial below Saint Anne's hand.

#2852. Initial G with the Birth of the Virgin

0:00
0:00
View Transcript
Manuscript Illumination with the Birth of the Virgin in an Initial G, from a Gradual, Don Silvestro de' Gherarducci (Italian, Florence 1339–1399 Florence), Tempera, ink, and gold on parchment, Italian

Due to rights restrictions, this image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

Open Access

As part of the Met's Open Access policy, you can freely copy, modify and distribute this image, even for commercial purposes.

API

Public domain data for this object can also be accessed using the Met's Open Access API.