NARRATOR:
The Virgin has long been celebrated as the Queen of Heaven—a regal figure of unimaginable splendor. That concept is gloriously conveyed in this altarpiece by the early 15th-century Sienese artist Giovanni de Paolo. Over a robe of gold brocade, she wears a blue cloak lined with costly ermine. Her serene face is haloed by a burst of golden rays. Look at the picture from a slight angle, and you’ll see that her golden crown is actually raised in relief with insets painted to mimic jewels…. Seen by flickering candlelight, in the dark recesses of a church, the effect must have been truly dazzling.
But the artist’s aim here is not simply to overwhelm with material richness. This Virgin Queen is also a tender mother. As she holds the Christ child, she cups a hand over his tiny foot, and he brushes her cheek with two tiny fingers. The new humanistic culture of Renaissance Italy emphasized the maternal qualities of the Virgin. As she watched over her child, so would she watch over the Christian faithful. This painting was made for the Branchini family chapel in the church of San Domenico in Siena, but the artist included his own personal message to Mary. The Latin inscription on her halo reads: “Protect, O Virgin, the man who has painted thee.”
Branchini Madonna
1427
Giovanni di Paolo (Italian, 1403-1482)
On View
Surrounded by multi-winged seraphim, the Virgin Mary is presented holding the infant Jesus who reaches tenderly for his mother and slightly touches her diaphanous veil. God the Father is also surrounded by a heavenly host above and gestures in both blessing and judgment. The dove representing the Holy Spirit radiates divine light. A variety of luminous effects were achieved with stamping and tooling gold, and as a result of the inclusion of glass gems set within Mary’s crown. Seen in candlelight, the whole ensemble would have been spectacularly spiritual. Attention to such natural details as the flowers strewn beneath Mary and the sumptuous fabrics contributes to the overall splendor and the theological message. Roses, carnations, marigolds and corn-flowers, for example, are symbols associated with the Holy Family and the Trinity and interestingly are also elements woven into the textiles. The painting is in a fine state of preservation. It is rare for a panel of this scale to have survived almost completely intact. The artist inscribed on the bottom of the frame in Latin “Giovanni of Siena son of Paolo painted [this in] 1427." Additional inscriptions include the opening lines of the Ave Maria and a poignant petition written within Mary’s halo: “I painted this for you. Virgin, Protect this man.”
Details
- Artist Name: Giovanni di Paolo (Italian, 1403-1482)
- Title: Branchini Madonna
- Date: 1427
- Medium: Tempera and gold leaf on panel
- Dimensions: 72 x 39 in. (182.9 x 99.1 cm)
- Credit Line: The Norton Simon Foundation
- Accession Number: F.1978.01.P
- Copyright: © The Norton Simon Foundation
Object Information
Church of San Domenico, Siena, by 1427 (second altar on left of entrance);
Convent of San Domenico, Siena, Refectory, by 1649.
Galgano Saracini (d. 1824), Palazzo Saracini, Siena, by 1819, bequeathed to one of two sons;
Marcantonio Saracini (1805-1848) or Alessandro Giulio Saracini (1807-1877), by inheritance to;
Prince Chigi-Saracini, Siena, inventory no. 1263, sold c. 1922 to;
Robert von Hirsch (1883-1977), Frankfurt and Basel (sale, London, Sotheby’s, 21 June 1978, lot 103);
The Norton Simon Foundation.
Convent of San Domenico, Siena, Refectory, by 1649.
Galgano Saracini (d. 1824), Palazzo Saracini, Siena, by 1819, bequeathed to one of two sons;
Marcantonio Saracini (1805-1848) or Alessandro Giulio Saracini (1807-1877), by inheritance to;
Prince Chigi-Saracini, Siena, inventory no. 1263, sold c. 1922 to;
Robert von Hirsch (1883-1977), Frankfurt and Basel (sale, London, Sotheby’s, 21 June 1978, lot 103);
The Norton Simon Foundation.
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