The Virgin of Humility 1445

The Virgin of Humility was made by Fra Angelico, most likely in the 1430s, using tempera and gold leaf on a wood panel. This wasn’t just painting, it was also a kind of craftwork. Consider the gold background, tooled with a repeated punchwork design, catching the light like celestial fabric. This gilding would have been done by a specialist, who carefully applied thin leaves of gold and burnished them to a reflective sheen, a highly skilled and laborious process. The tempera itself, made from ground pigments mixed with egg yolk, demanded precision. Fra Angelico was working in a tradition that valued both technical mastery and devotional expression. All of this craft is essential to the painting's effect. It elevates the scene, placing it in a realm of preciousness and otherworldly beauty. By understanding the materials and processes, we appreciate the artistry, as well as the deep cultural significance of this iconic image.