Artwork
Virgin of the Angels
Virgin of the Angels is an unspecified painting by the Byzantine icon painting artist Pere Serra. It dates from 1393 and is held in the collection of the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1393, the panel known as Virgin of the Angels is attributed to Pere Serra, a Catalan painter active in the late 14th century. Executed on wood, the work presents a devotional scene that now belongs to the collection of the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya.
Subject & Meaning
At the centre of the composition the Virgin Mary cradles the infant Christ, who gazes at a small bird he holds. Encircling them are six angels, some shown playing musical instruments, suggesting a celestial choir that underscores the sacred intimacy of the mother‑child bond.
Technique & Style
Serra combines Gothic sensibilities with influences from Sienese painting, evident in the delicate gold‑thread patterns that adorn the Virgin’s dark robe and the graceful, elongated figures. The use of a rich red backdrop and subtle modeling of flesh reflects the transitional aesthetic between Byzantine iconography and emerging Italianate naturalism.
History & Provenance
Born into a family of painters, Serra trained under Ramón Destorrents and collaborated with his brothers on major altarpieces. The panel entered the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya’s holdings in the 20th century, where it remains on display as part of the museum’s Gothic collection.
Context
The work exemplifies the devotional panels commissioned for private or ecclesiastical settings in Catalonia during the late medieval period, when artists frequently merged local Gothic traditions with the refined elegance of Sienese visual language.
Artist & collection
Artist
Pere Serra was a painter in Gothic-Italian style, who was active in Catalonia in 1357–1406.
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