Artwork
Madonna and Child with Saints
Madonna and Child with Saints is an oil painting by the Mannerist artist Francesco da Cotignola. It dates from 1510 and is held in the collection of the Walters Art Museum.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1510 by Francesco da Cotignola, this oil painting presents a devotional grouping of the Virgin and Child flanked by two saints. The composition centers the Madonna holding the infant Jesus, while the accompanying figures occupy the sides of the canvas, forming a balanced, symmetrical arrangement typical of early‑sixteenth‑century Italian religious art.
Subject & Meaning
The central focus is the Virgin Mary cradling the Christ Child, a traditional iconographic motif symbolizing maternal devotion and divine incarnation. To either side stand Saint Jerome, recognizable by his scholarly attributes, and Saint Mary Magdalene, often identified by her flowing hair and penitential gestures, underscoring themes of contemplation and redemption.
Technique & Style
Cotignola employs a restrained palette of warm, earthy hues, allowing the figures to emerge from a softly modeled background. Subtle chiaroscuro creates a gentle modeling of forms, giving the Madonna and Child a three‑dimensional presence while maintaining the overall calmness of the scene. The compositional clarity reflects the transitional Mannerist sensibility of the period.
History & Provenance
The work entered the collection of the Walters Art Museum, where it remains on display. Its provenance traces back to the artist’s activity in the Parma and Ravenna regions, where he produced numerous religious commissions for local churches and patrons during the early 1500s.
Context
Francesco da Cotignola worked amid the flourishing artistic climate of the Italian Renaissance, absorbing influences from both the High Renaissance and emerging Mannerist tendencies. This painting exemplifies the period’s blend of devotional purpose with an increasing interest in compositional elegance and refined figure treatment.
Artist & collection
Artist
Francesco da Cotignola (c. 1475–1532), also called Zaganelli (Italian pronunciation: ), was an Italian painter of the Renaissance period, active mainly in Parma and Ravenna. He was a pupil of the painter Niccolo…
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