Virgin and Child, Angels and a Donor Family
The monumentality of this work is due, among other things, to the architectural design of the throne of the Virgin. The upper section is crowned by a semicircular arch accommodating a scallop shell, which gives this Italianizing element the appearance of a niche. Its perspective lines converge at a vertical axis marked by the figure of the Virgin, on both sides of whom the remaining elements in the composition are symmetrically arranged. Gold leaf is used exclusively in the haloes and in the two small figures in the upper part of the throne; a cloudscape replaces the golden background typical of Gothic paintings, while the rear wall and the Virgin’s mantle are decorated with painted gold and silver brocades, all of which point to the Renaissance.
Other features, such as the wings of the angels and particularly the angular folds of the fabrics, refer to Flemish painting. The figures of the donors in the lower area, depicted on a smaller scale, are an archaism. In addition to the eclecticism of this work, mention should be made of its balanced composition, the serene attitude of the characters portrayed and its fine technical finish. We also come across symbolic elements such as the Madonna lily that alludes to purity, the roses that are symbols of Christ’s passion, and the little bird that is a reference to the soul.
On the lower section of the picture the painter’s signature appears almost in full.
