Madonna and Child with St John the Baptist and St Mary Magdalene

Devotional images of the Madonna and Child were a mainstay of Neroccio’s workshop. Working from a standard half-length format, the artist altered the composition by adding different saints according to the wishes of his clients. Here, he has inserted John the Baptist, who carries a scroll that proclaims the coming of Christ, and Mary Magdalene, who holds the jar of oil with which she anointed the feet of Jesus.