Madonna and Child Enthroned with Two Angels and a Donor

Vittore Crivelli's Madonna and Child Enthroned with Two Angels and a Donor, painted in 1481, includes a portrait of the patron who commissioned the work, shown kneeling in devotion before the Virgin. The inclusion of the donor portrait was standard in Italian altarpiece painting, recording the piety and generosity of the patron. The gold ground and elaborate throne reflect the conservative artistic taste of the Marches under the influence of the Crivelli family workshop.

The tempera on wood with gold ground technique creates the richly decorated surface typical of Crivelli workshop production. The donor portrait is rendered with more naturalistic detail than the idealized sacred figures, demonstrating the different conventions applied to heavenly and earthly subjects.