Madonna and Child Enthroned
The Virgin sits on a grand throne with the Christ Child standing on her lap in this small devotional panel from the fourteenth-century workshop of Bernardo Daddi. While the hand of a specific artist cannot be identified, this image is a variant of a popular type that was produced in the Florentine master’s workshop (a close comparison is the Madonna and Child with Four Saints in the Pinacoteca Nazionale di Capodimonte in Naples). It is likely that this panel was part of a diptych or triptych that would have also featured images of saints, angels, or other devotional scenes, such as the Crucifixion. Its small size would have allowed the owner to transport it with relative ease.
The Madonna and Child Enthroned was a common subject for devotional objects in the fourteenth century. This example features an exchange of tender gestures – the Virgin pulls the Christ Child toward her by clutching the fabric of his garment. He reaches up to caress her cheek. Their eye contact and sweet expressions suggest an intimate, familial relationship. The expansive throne is draped with cloth that is painted to resemble embroidered silk textile and evoke the splendor of the heavenly realm. Ornamented with finials, the gable recalls church architecture of the period.
The Madonna and Child Enthroned was a common subject for devotional objects in the fourteenth century. This example features an exchange of tender gestures – the Virgin pulls the Christ Child toward her by clutching the fabric of his garment. He reaches up to caress her cheek. Their eye contact and sweet expressions suggest an intimate, familial relationship. The expansive throne is draped with cloth that is painted to resemble embroidered silk textile and evoke the splendor of the heavenly realm. Ornamented with finials, the gable recalls church architecture of the period.
Artwork Details
- Title: Madonna and Child Enthroned
- Artist: Workshop of Bernardo Daddi (Italian, Florence (?) ca. 1290–1348 Florence)
- Date: ca. 1335–39
- Medium: Tempera on wood, transferred to canvas and laid down on wood, gold ground
- Dimensions: Overall: 10 1/8 × 3 3/4 in. (25.7 × 9.5 cm)
- Classification: Paintings
- Credit Line: Robert Lehman Collection, 1975
- Object Number: 1975.1.59
- Curatorial Department: The Robert Lehman Collection
More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Bernardo Daddi
ca. 1337–39
Bernardo Daddi
ca. 1338–40
Bernardo Daddi
Bernardo Daddi
Bernardo Daddi
Related Content
Publications
Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.
Free to download
Research Resources
The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.