Madonna and Child

Gherardo Starnina
Artist Gherardo Starnina
Date c. 1400
Medium Tempera on wood panel
Collection The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Copyright Public domain. Free for personal & commercial use.

Download

Standard Quality
1093 x 1800 pixels · 2.08 MB · JPEG
Premium Quality
3412 x 5615 pixels · 20.09 MB · JPEG

About the Artist

Gherardo Starnina
Italian (1354–1413)
A Florentine painter active during the late Gothic period, this artist bridged the ornate elegance of International Gothic with the emerging Renaissance sensibility. Though few works survive definitively attributed to him, his influence rippled through Tuscan art, particularly in the delicate treatment of drapery and a penchant for luminous color. Trained in Florence, he likely spent time in Spain—possibly Valencia—where his work left traces in Iberian altarpieces. His compositions balanced rhythmic grace with narrative clarity, often favoring elongated figures and intricate detailing, as seen in the *Madonna of Humility* (c. 1400). Unlike contemporaries who leaned toward austerity, his paintings shimmered with gold leaf and rich blues, suggesting a courtly refinement. Vasari later credited him with introducing Spanish techniques to Italy, though modern scholarship debates the extent of his travels. Fragments of frescoes in Florence’s Santa Maria del Carmine hint at a lost monumental style, while smaller panels reveal a master of intimate devotional scenes. His legacy lingers in the transitional flourishes of artists like Lorenzo Monaco, who absorbed his synthesis of Gothic lyricism and proto-Renaissance structure.

Master’s Palette

Reveal the unique color story behind each piece, helping you delve into the artistic essence, and spark boundless inspiration and imagination.

HEX color palette extracted from Madonna and Child (c. 1400)-palette by Gherardo Starnina

Bring the captivating colors to your project. Click to copy!

#936831
#d4b687
#212324
#523928
#8a330d
#5b1112
#cb641d
#bc8223

Artwork Story

Gherardo Starnina’s Madonna and Child captures a tender moment between the Virgin Mary and the infant Jesus, rendered with delicate brushwork and a soft, almost luminous palette. The figures are framed by a gold background, a common feature in early Renaissance religious art, which lends the scene a divine glow. Mary’s gentle gaze and the child’s playful interaction with her veil create an intimate, humanizing portrayal of sacred figures. Starnina’s attention to fabric folds and subtle shading gives the painting a tactile quality, as if the viewer could reach out and touch the richly textured garments.

What stands out is the quiet emotional depth—Mary’s expression holds both maternal warmth and a hint of melancholy, foreshadowing Christ’s future sacrifice. The artist blends Byzantine influences with emerging Renaissance naturalism, making the divine feel accessible. Tiny details, like the child’s curled toes or the intricate patterning on Mary’s robe, invite closer inspection, revealing Starnina’s meticulous craftsmanship. This isn’t just a devotional image; it’s a window into 15th-century spirituality, where reverence and humanity intertwine.

View More Artworks