Madonna of Humility with Saints John the Baptist and Andrew; below: Seven Standing Saints

Taddeo di Bartolo's Madonna of Humility with Saints John the Baptist and Andrew from around 1395 combines the popular Humility type with flanking saints and a predella of standing holy figures. Taddeo was the most important Sienese painter at the turn of the fifteenth century, completing major commissions in Siena, Perugia, Pisa, and Genoa. His robust, expressive style carried the Sienese Gothic tradition to the threshold of the Renaissance while maintaining its characteristic devotional warmth.

Painted in tempera and gold on panel, the multi-register composition displays Taddeo's bold coloring and vigorous figure drawing. The elaborate tooled gold haloes, decorative textile patterns, and carefully differentiated physiognomies of the saints demonstrate his workshop's accomplished craftsmanship.