Madonna of humility

Francescuccio Ghissi, a painter active in the Marche region of Italy in the late fourteenth century, created this Madonna of Humility depicting the Virgin seated on the ground rather than enthroned. The Madonna of Humility iconography, which emerged around 1340 and was possibly invented by Simone Martini, represented a new emphasis on the Virgin's approachability and maternal tenderness. The type spread rapidly across Italy as Franciscan spirituality promoted a more intimate relationship with sacred figures.

Egg tempera on gold-ground panel with the Virgin shown in the characteristic ground-seated pose of the humility type. Ghissi employs the refined but somewhat provincial style typical of Marchigian painters, combining central Italian influence with local decorative traditions.