Madonna and Child

Andrea Vanni, a Sienese painter and diplomat who was a personal friend of Saint Catherine of Siena, produced this Madonna and Child in the refined Gothic style of the late Trecento Sienese school. Vanni's art perpetuated the elegant, decorative tradition established by Simone Martini and the Lorenzetti brothers, even as Florentine painting was moving in more naturalistic directions. His dual career as artist and civic leader gave him unusual insight into the devotional needs of Sienese society.

This tempera on gold-ground panel exemplifies the Sienese preference for sinuous line, refined surface pattern, and luminous color. The delicate modeling of the Madonna's face and the decorative treatment of the drapery reflect the enduring influence of Simone Martini's courtly Gothic manner.