Santa Francesca Romana Holding the Christ Child 1440 - 1450

This tempera painting on poplar panel, titled *Santa Francesca Romana Holding the Christ Child*, is a work by Italian artist Antonio del Massaro da Viterbo (1445 - 1521), and dates back to 1440 - 1450. The artwork, housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, depicts Santa Francesca Romana kneeling in prayer as she holds the Christ Child. The scene is set against a backdrop of a celestial dome filled with angels, and a partial view of the earth, including water and the moon, is shown at the bottom. The vibrant colors, gold leaf background, and stylized figures are characteristic of the Early Renaissance period in Italy. The work illustrates the reverence for Roman Catholic saints and the merging of religious and earthly imagery during this time.