Artwork
Madonna and Child
Madonna and Child is an oil painting by Master of Badia a Isola. It dates from 1300 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Overview
Madonna and Child is a tempera painting created around 1300 by the Master of Badia a Isola, an Italian artist active in the late 13th to early 14th century. The work depicts the Virgin Mary holding the Christ Child against a textured gold background.
Subject & Meaning
The painting represents a serene scene of the Virgin Mary cradling the Christ Child, conveying religious devotion through the use of halos and symbolic attire. Mary’s calm expression and the Child’s direct gaze engage the viewer.
Technique & Style
Executed in tempera, the painting features flat colors, sharp outlines, and a textured gold background resembling woven patterns, characteristic of the artist’s style during this period.
History & Provenance
Attributed to the Master of Badia a Isola, named after a similar work in Abbadia a Isola near Siena, this painting is now part of the Rijksmuseum’s collection, contributing to the small known corpus of the artist’s works.
Artist & collection
Artist
The Master of Badia a Isola was an Italian painter. His name is taken from a depiction of the Madonna and Child that hangs in the Badia dei Santi Salvatore e Cirino in Abbadia a Isola, located near Monteriggioni, a…
