Artwork

Madonna and Child, with St Jacob the Younger, St John The Baptist and Angels

Madonna and Child, with St Jacob the Younger, St John The Baptist and Angels is a tempera painting by the Early Renaissance artist Bicci di Lorenzo. It dates from 1430 and is held in the collection of the Hermitage Museum.

About this work

Overview

Madonna and Child, with St Jacob the Younger, St John the Baptist and Angels is a tempera painting created by Italian artist Bicci di Lorenzo circa 1430, falling within the early Renaissance period.

Subject & Meaning

The painting depicts a religious scene centered on the Madonna and Child, accompanied by St Jacob the Younger (holding a red book), St John the Baptist, and two attending angels, set against a symbolic gold background with a pointed arch.

Technique & Style

Executed in tempera, the work features soft, predominantly red, blue, and gold hues, with selective bright accents, such as the red book. The composition is formally arranged, emphasizing the central figures within a frame-like setting adorned with jewels.

History & Provenance

The painting is part of the State Hermitage Museum's collection, though specific details of its acquisition or earlier ownership are not provided in available information.

Context

Created in Florence around 1430, this piece reflects the early Renaissance's religious art themes and stylistic tendencies, characteristic of the period's transitional phase towards more humanistic representations.

Legacy

While specific influences or direct artistic legacies of this work are not highlighted, it contributes to the broader understanding of Bicci di Lorenzo's oeuvre and the early Renaissance's artistic evolution in Florence.