Italy, Tuscany / 1419
Virgin and Child Enthroned
The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs Virgin and Child Enthroned as painting (Italy, Tuscany · 1419).
Rather than depicting a single moment in time, this gold-ground painting symbolically encapsulates Christ. Seated on a rich throne, the monumental Virgin holds the Christ child.
A CLOSER LOOK
The museum identifies this painting as tempera and gold on wood and credits Battista di Biagio Sanguigni (Italian, active 1393–1451).
The museum's collection notes: Rather than depicting a single moment in time, this gold-ground painting symbolically encapsulates Christ. Seated on a rich throne, the monumental Virgin holds the Christ child. Above, the risen Christ is seen in heaven holding a book, inscribed with the alpha and omega, the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, signifying Christ’s role as the beginning and end of all things. The Italian inscription states: "This painting was made for Antonio di Domenicho Giugni for the repose of his soul, the year of our Lord 1419." In the 1300s, Italian painting focused on the heavenly aspects of Christian faith in order to convey abstract religious
FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE
The Cleveland Museum of ArtVirgin and Child EnthronedOriginal explanation based on the sources above. Images carry their own reuse terms.