Madonna with St. Julian and St. Laurenzius 1423

Gentile da Fabriano completed this tempera and gold leaf on panel artwork of the Madonna with St. Julian and St. Laurenzius in Italy sometime in the early 15th century. The image speaks volumes about the prevailing social and religious structures of its time. Notice how the Madonna, the mother of Christ, is seated above the two saints, Julian and Laurenzius, thereby representing the divine hierarchy in medieval Christian thought. This emphasis on hierarchy was typical in the art of the period. Consider also the use of gold leaf. The material reflects the economic prosperity of certain Italian city-states, but also represents the glory of God, a key theme in religious art. Further research into the patronage of this work, for instance, might reveal the specific intentions of those who commissioned it.