Madonna and Child with Saints

Priamo della Quercia was a Sienese painter active in the mid-fifteenth century, working in the distinctive tradition of his city that emphasized gold-ground devotional painting long after Florence had embraced Renaissance naturalism. This Madonna and Child with Saints from around 1442 preserves the refined, ornamental quality of Sienese painting with its emphasis on grace, decorative detail, and spiritual expressiveness.

The tempera on wood with gold ground demonstrates the traditional Sienese technique of combining delicate figure painting with elaborate gold tooling. The harmonious composition and refined color harmonies reflect the enduring standards of the Sienese school.