Madonna and Child with the Dead Christ, Saints Agnes and Catherine of Alexandria, and Two Angels
ca. 1470–80
Medium
Tempera on wood, gold ground
Dimensions
Main panel, overall, with engaged (modern) frame, 12 3/4 x 11 3/4 in. (32.4 x 29.8 cm), painted surface 10 7/8 x 9 7/8 in. (27.6 x 25.1 cm); predella, overall, with engaged (modern) frame, 3 5/8 x 12 5/8 in. (9.2 x 32.1 cm), painted surface 2 5/8 x 11 7/8 in. (6.7 x 30.2 cm)
Classification
Paintings
Department
European Paintings
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Anonymous Bequest, 1984
Accession Number
1987.290.2ab
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate tempera panel on gold-ground wood, created by Sienese artist Sano di Pietro around 1470–80, a tender yet poignant sacred scene: the Madonna cradling the Christ Child, joined by the Dead Christ, Agnes and Catherine of Alexandria and two angels. Measuring just over 12 by 11 inches for the main panel (with a smaller predella below), its intimate scale suggests it was crafted for private devotion, perhaps in a home or chapel, rather than a grand public altar. Sano di Pietro, a leading figure in Siena's vibrant 15th-century art scene, upheld the city's Gothic traditions amid Italy's ...