Artwork
Madonna and Child with Five Saints and Two Angels
Madonna and Child with Five Saints and Two Angels is a tempera painting by the Early Renaissance artist Andrea del Verrocchio. It dates from 1470 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest.
About this work
Overview
Created around 1470, this tempera panel by Andrea del Verrocchio presents a devotional scene centered on the Virgin Mary and the infant Jesus. The work is part of the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts in Budapest, where it is displayed among the museum’s Italian Renaissance holdings.
Subject & Meaning
The composition features the Madonna seated on an elevated throne, cradling the naked Christ child. Flanking them are five canonized figures, each identifiable by their distinctive garments, and two attendant angels. All figures turn their gaze toward the central pair, emphasizing reverence and the intercessory role of the saints.
Technique & Style
Executed in tempera, the painting exhibits the crisp linearity typical of Verrocchio’s workshop, with careful modeling of drapery and delicate facial expressions. The muted background serves to focus attention on the figures, while the subtle tonal variations convey a calm, contemplative atmosphere.
History & Provenance
The panel was produced in the late fifteenth century, likely for a private devotional setting. It entered the Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest, during the early twentieth century as part of the museum’s acquisition of Italian Renaissance works, where it remains in the permanent collection.
Context
Verrocchio, a leading Florentine artist and teacher of Leonardo da Vinci, often combined sculptural precision with painterly detail. This work reflects the period’s emphasis on hierarchical composition, placing the Virgin and Child at the visual apex, surrounded by saints who function as intercessors for the viewer’s prayers.
Artist & collection
Artist
Andrea del Verrocchio ( və-ROH-kee-oh, US also -RAW-, Italian: ; born Andrea di Michele di Francesco de' Cioni; c.
