Madonna and Child Enthroned with Twelve Angels, and with the Blessing Christ [middle panel] before 1387

This is a central panel from an altarpiece by the Italian painter Agnolo Gaddi, created before 1387. The image is a depiction of the Madonna and Child enthroned, surrounded by angels. The Virgin Mary is dressed in a blue robe, with a halo and a golden crown, holding the Christ Child. There are six kneeling angels in the foreground, and two additional angels are seen in the upper corners. The painting is framed with a gilded gothic arch, and the entire work displays the elegant, elongated figures and rich color that characterized the Florentine style of painting in the late 14th century. This work can be viewed as an example of the *Madonna and Child* motif common in medieval and renaissance art.