Artwork
Madonna and Child with Saint Albert and Saint Catherine
Madonna and Child with Saint Albert and Saint Catherine is an oil painting by the High Renaissance artist Floriano Ferramola. It dates from 1513 and is held in the collection of the Gemäldegalerie Berlin.
About this work
Overview
Floriano Ferramola, a Brescia‑based painter of the early sixteenth century, executed a wooden panel in 1513 that brings together the Virgin and Child with two saints. The work exemplifies the compositional balance and refined modelling typical of the High Renaissance, and it now forms part of the Gemäldegalerie’s collection in Berlin.
Subject & Meaning
At the centre, a seated Virgin cradles the infant Jesus, a conventional devotional focus. To their left stands Saint Albert of Trapani, identifiable by his scholarly bearing and open book, while Saint Catherine of Alexandria appears on the right, crowned and holding a sword, symbols of her martyrdom. Their presence underscores themes of intercession and learned piety.
Technique & Style
Ferramola employed the tempera‑oil medium on a prepared wood surface, achieving subtle gradations of light and shadow that give the figures a three‑dimensional presence. The interior setting, with a hinted balcony and distant cityscape, is rendered with restrained chiaroscuro, creating depth without overt dramatization.
History & Provenance
The panel was created in 1513 for a local patron in Brescia, though its early ownership record is sparse. It entered the Gemäldegalerie Berlin’s holdings in the twentieth century, where it has been displayed as part of the museum’s Renaissance assemblage.
Context
Ferramola worked in a period when Brescian artists were absorbing influences from Milan and Venice, integrating a calm classicism with localized devotional iconography. The inclusion of both a male and a female saint reflects the era’s practice of tailoring altarpieces to the spiritual needs of specific confraternities or patrons.
Artist & collection
Artist
Floriano or Fioravante Ferramola (c. 1478 – 3 July 1528) was an Italian painter of the Renaissance period, active mainly in Brescia.
