Artwork
Exterior of the wings of the triptych
Exterior of the wings of the triptych is a paint painting by the Byzantine icon painting artist Taddeo Gaddi. It dates from 1334 and is held in the collection of the Gemäldegalerie Berlin.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1334 by Florentine painter and architect Taddeo Gaddi, this work presents the exterior panels of a triptych. Executed in paint, the composition is divided into four rectangular sections that together form the outer faces of the hinged altarpiece. The piece is part of the Gemäldegalerie Berlin collection.
Subject & Meaning
The upper left shows a woman in a red garment clutching a sword beside a lion, while the upper right presents a woman in black holding a book next to a wheel.
Each panel features a solitary figure or small group rendered in solemn posture. The upper left shows a woman in a red garment clutching a sword beside a lion, while the upper right presents a woman in black holding a book next to a wheel. The lower left includes two women in red and blue alongside a man in red, and the lower right depicts a man in yellow supporting a child and bearing a staff. The iconography reflects typical medieval allegorical or saintly representations, though specific identities are not definitively recorded.
Technique & Style
Gaddi works within the Byzantine tradition, employing a restrained palette of muted reds, blues, yellows and earth tones. Figures are rendered with a formal, linear quality, their drapery and accessories detailed through careful brushwork. The overall effect is one of compositional balance and hierarchical arrangement rather than naturalistic modeling.
History & Provenance
Taddeo Gaddi, son of the painter Gaddo Gaddi, was a key member of Giotto’s workshop from 1313 until Giotto’s death in 1337 and later emerged as a leading Florentine artist. After his career as a painter, mosaicist and architect, the triptych exterior entered the collection of the Gemäldegalerie in Berlin, where it remains on display.
Context
The work belongs to the early 14th‑century Florentine milieu, a period when artists were transitioning from the strict Byzantine visual language toward greater naturalism. Gaddi’s training under Giotto positioned him at the forefront of this shift, yet the exterior panels retain the conventional, symbolic approach typical of portable altarpieces intended for devotional use.
Artist & collection
Artist
Taddeo Gaddi (c. 1290 – 1366) was a medieval Italian painter and architect. He was born in Florence. He was the son of the painter Gaddo di Zanobi, called Gaddo Gaddi. He was a member of Giotto's workshop from 1313…
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