Small Maestà 1340

Ambrogio Lorenzetti painted this small ‘Maestà’ panel, likely in the early 14th century, using tempera and gold leaf. The Madonna, regal and tender, sits enthroned with the Christ Child, surrounded by angels—symbols of purity and divine messengers. The Madonna’s tender embrace of the Christ Child echoes the ancient motif of the ‘Mater Amabilis,’ or loving mother, a theme stretching back to antiquity and the cult of Isis suckling Horus. This motif evolved through Byzantine art and then into the Italian Renaissance. The colors, too, tell a tale: the Virgin’s blue mantle, made from precious lapis lazuli, signifies her purity and status as Queen of Heaven. Consider how the halo, a symbol of divine light and grace, encircles each figure’s head, transcending cultural boundaries. From its early use in Hellenistic art to represent emperors and gods, the halo's adoption by Christianity marks a fascinating adaptation of pagan symbolism. It highlights the non-linear, cyclical journey of symbols, resurfacing in new contexts, evolving, and taking on novel meanings across the ages.