Madonna and Child with Saint Catherine of Siena and a Carthusian Donor
ca. 1411–24
Medium
Tempera and gold on wood
Dimensions
Overall 22 5/8 x 13 1/8 in. (57.5 x 33.3 cm); painted surface 21 7/8 x 12 1/4 in. (55.6 x 31.1 cm)
Classification
Paintings
Culture
Italian, Lombardy, probably Pavia
Department
Robert Lehman Collection
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Robert Lehman Collection, 1975
Accession Number
1975.1.98
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite panel painting, created in Lombardy around 1411–24, captures the intimate devotional world of early Renaissance Italy. Attributed to an artist from the region of Pavia, it portrays the Madonna and Childroned alongside Saint Catherine of Siena and a kneeling Carthusian donor. The inclusion of the donor—a monk from the austere Carthusian order—highlights the personal piety and patronage common in religious art of the period, as wealthy or devout individuals commissioned such works to secure spiritual favor. Executed in tempera and gold on wood, the painting exemplifies the lumino...