Artwork
Madonna and Child
Madonna and Child is an unspecified painting by the Italo Byzantine artist Gherardo Starnina. It dates from 1400 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
A woman in blue and red robes holds a baby on her lap. The gold background feels flat, like a church wall. Baby Jesus grips a scroll, hinting at his future teachings.
This was painted when Starnina worked in Florence before heading to Spain. Few of his works survive today, so each one matters.
Look up his name: Gherardo Starnina (Italian, c. 1360–before 1413).
Overview
This painting, Madonna and Child, is the work of Gherardo Starnina, an Italian artist active in Florence and later in Spain. Created before his departure for Spain, it is one of the few surviving works from his oeuvre.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts the Virgin Mary holding the infant Jesus on her lap. Jesus holds a scroll, symbolizing his future role as a teacher. The scene is set against a gold background, evoking the atmosphere of a church.
Technique & Style
Starnina's style in this work reflects his early influences, with the Madonna's lyrical pose and Valencian-style crown indicating the artistic traditions he encountered. The gold background is rendered in a flat, two-dimensional manner.
History & Provenance
Gherardo Starnina was active in Florence before moving to Spain, where he worked extensively in cities like Toledo and Valencia. This painting dates to his time in Florence, prior to his Spanish period.
Artist & collection
Artist
Gherardo Starnina (c. 1360–1413) was an Italian painter from Florence in the Quattrocento era. According to the biographer Giorgio Vasari, Starnina initially trained with Antonio Veneziano, then with Agnolo Gaddi. He is…
