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Massaccio

Florentine School. His principal works were the famous frescoes in the Branacci Chapel.

LONDON, NATIONAL GALLERY

THE MADONNA AND CHILD The Virgin is seated on a throne of grey stone facing us, her head bowed, turned slightly to the right, with the Child sitting on her left knee. She is in a blue mantle and red tunic, both trimmed with gold. Her nimbus and the border of her robes are inscribed with pseudo-Cufic writings. The Child faces us, His right fingers in His mouth, His left hand touching a bunch of grapes in His mother’s right hand. Two angels kneel left and right of the throne in the background. On the left is a cherub weeping, and on the right a seraph smiling. Two more sit on the step of the throne playing lutes.

Painted in 1426 as the centre panel of an altar-piece for the Carmine, Pisa. The pilasters of the frame and two parts of the predella are at Berlin (Nos. 58D, 58s, and 58A). Over the centre was The Crucifixion (now at Naples), and at the sides St. Paul (now at Pisa) and St. Andrew (in the Lancorouski Collection, Vienna).

Purchased for L9,000 from Canon Sutton in 1916.

THE MADONNA AND CHILD WITH ST. ANNE St. Anne is enthroned facing us, with her hand on the shoulder of the Virgin, who is sitting below her, turned slightly towards the right, with Child on her knees. On either side of the throne is an angel swinging a censer, and above another pair hold up a red and gold cloth behind the central group.

Vasari mentions this picture as being in a chapel in S. Ambrogio Florence.

 

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