Description
This small, delicate painting once adorned the top of the Maestà altarpiece—one of the greatest masterpieces of late medieval Italy. The altarpiece was commissioned in 1308 for the Cathedral of Siena, and consisted of more than forty sections, most of which are now dispersed. In medieval and Renaissance Italy, large works like the one this panel came from were usually completed by multiple artists under the supervision of one chief artist—in this case the famous Sienese master, Duccio. The angel’s elegant and slightly elongated features and the panel’s rich gilding are typical of Duccio’s distinct style.
The size and subject of Mount Holyoke’s panel reveal that it was one of the altarpiece’s pinnacles (the top-most portion in the digitally reconstructed altarpiece shown below). The angels’ position at the top of the altarpiece indicates their role as heavenly hosts. There are only a few Duccio paintings in the United States, making this small masterpiece all the more significant.
Details
- Work Date:
- ca. 1308–1311
- Location:
- Hill Gallery
- Medium:
- Tempera, gold leaf on panel