Medici Madonna
Artist
Benedetto Pagni
(Italian, 1504-1578)
Dateca. 1546-47
MediumOil on wood
DimensionsFramed: 82 H x 70 W x 5 D in. (208.3 x 177.8 x 12.7 cm)
Unframed support: 68 1/8 H x 55 5/8 D in. (173 x 141.3 cm) (old measurement)
Unframed support: 68 1/8 H x 55 5/8 D in. (173 x 141.3 cm) (old measurement)
ClassificationsPaintings
Credit LineBequest of John Ringling, 1936
Object numberSN34
Based on a work by Parmigianino, this Madonna exemplifies the exaggerated proportions and poses that characterized Italian Mannerist art. The 16th-century historian Giorgio Vasari described this painting as representing "a personification of Florence offering to the Virgin the symbols of the grandeur of the house of Medici." The six palle, or spheres, in the dish are taken from the Medici insignia, and the tiaras refer to the two Medici popes. The pairing of the crown of the Duchy of Tuscany with the lilies represents the alliance of the Medici with the royal family of France. The genealogical scroll signifies the illustrious lineage of the Medici.
On View
On viewLocation
- Museum of Art, Gallery 04
19th century
