Artwork
Virgin and Child with Angels
Virgin and Child with Angels is an unspecified painting by the Early Renaissance artist Francesco Pesellino. It is held in the collection of the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1459, *Virgin and Child with Angels* is a panel painting by the Florentine artist Francesco Pesellino. Executed during the early Renaissance, the work presents a devotional image of the Virgin Mary holding the infant Christ, attended by a group of five angels. The composition is part of the permanent collection of Glasgow’s Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum.
Subject & Meaning
At the centre of the scene the Virgin, dressed in a pink gown beneath a blue mantle and a white headscarf, cradles the newborn Jesus, who is swaddled in white cloth. Five angels, each adorned in vivid garments and crowned with golden halos, surround the pair, their gazes directed toward the mother and child, suggesting a protective, celestial audience.
Technique & Style
Pesellino employs the delicate tempera technique typical of mid‑15th‑century Florentine workshops, rendering soft transitions of light across the figures’ faces and garments. The composition balances a clear, linear arrangement with gentle modeling, while the bright palette—particularly the pink, blue, and gold accents—highlights the sanctity of the subjects and reflects the period’s emerging naturalism.
History & Provenance
The painting entered the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum’s collection in the early 20th century, where it has remained on public display. Its provenance prior to acquisition is not extensively documented, but the work’s attribution to Pesellino rests on stylistic comparison with other signed pieces from his Florentine workshop.
Context
Francesco Pesellino, born Francesco di Stefano, trained under his grandfather Giuliano Pesello before collaborating with fellow Florentine artists. This work exemplifies the early Renaissance shift toward more intimate, humanized religious imagery, moving away from the more formal, hieratic conventions of the medieval period and aligning with contemporary devotional trends in Florence.
Artist & collection
Artist
Francesco Pesellino (probably 1422 – July 29, 1457), also known as Francesco di Stefano, was an Italian Renaissance painter active in Florence.
