Virgin and Child Enthroned with Saints Peter, Paul, John the Baptist, and Dominic and a Dominican Supplicant

Art Historical Context

Created around 1325–35 by the Sienese painter Ugolino di Nerio, this small tempera panel offers an intimate glimpse into early fourteenth-century Italian devotional art. Ugolino, a follower of Duccio, worked in the elegant Gothic style of Siena, where gold grounds and graceful figures helped worshippers feel closer to the divine. The compact size—roughly the dimensions of a large book—suggests it was made for private prayer rather than a grand church altar. The composition centers on the Virgin Mary enthroned with the Christ Child, surrounded by Saints Peter, Paul, John the Baptist, and Domin...