Medici Madonna (van der Weyden)

For the Michelangelo sculpture, see Medici Madonna.

Medici Madonna

Artist	Rogier van der Weyden
Year	c. 1460–1464
Type	Oil on panel
Dimensions	61.7 cm × 46.1 cm (24.3 in × 18.1 in)
Location	Städel, Frankfurt

The Medici Madonna is an oil-on-panel painting by the Netherlandish artist Rogier van der Weyden, dating from around 1460–1464 and housed in the Städel, Frankfurt, Germany.

The work is known to have been commissioned by the Medici family in Florence, as testified by the Florentine coat of arms with a red lily at the center of the lower step. The work has been variously dated from 1450–1451, when the artist travelled to Rome visiting several Italian courts, or from 1460–1464, the same years of the Lamentation of Christ, inspired by Beato Angelico and now at the Uffizi.

Description

Above a gold background, van der Weyden painted a baldachin lined with precious damask cloth, under which are the Virgin with Child, St. Peter, St. John the Baptist (patron saint of Florence), St. Cosmas (a protector of the House of Medici), and St. John the Evangelist. Cosmas is portrayed while putting a coin in a handbag hanging from his belt, a reference of his legend, according ot which he had accepted a small sum for a medical performance, causing rage in his brother Damian.

In the foreground is a still life with the artist's typical attention to natural details. In the centre is a gilt metallic amphora, in which are several lilies: the white ones symbolize the Virgin's purity, while the red ones are another reference to Florence.

Sources

Campbell, Lorne (2004). Van der Weyden. London: Chaucer Press. ISBN 1-904449-24-7.

Rogier van der Weyden

Single religious works	Virgin and Child Enthroned (c. 1430–32) The Madonna Standing (c. 1430–32) The Magdalen Reading (fragment, c. 1435–38) Durán Madonna (c. 1435–38) The Descent from the Cross (c. 1435–38) Saint Luke Drawing the Virgin (c. 1435–40) The Dream of Pope Sergius (c. late 1430s) Christ on the Cross with Mary and St John (c. 1440) Pietà (c. 1441) Virgin and Child (c. 1460) Lamentation of Christ (c. 1460–63) Medici Madonna (c. 1460–64)

Portraits	Portrait of a Woman (c. 1435) Portrait of a Man (c. 1440) Portrait of a Young Woman (c. 1440–45) Portrait of Isabella of Portugal (c. 1445–50) Portrait of Philip the Good (after 1450) Portrait of Charles the Bold (1460) Portrait of Antoine, 'Grand Bâtard' of Burgundy (c. 1460) Portrait of Francesco d'Este (c. 1460) Portrait of a Lady (c. 1460) Portrait of John I, Duke of Cleves (14??)

Diptychs	Crucifixion Diptych (c. 1464–65) Diptych of Philip de Croÿ with The Virgin and Child (c. 1460)

Triptychs	Annunciation Triptych (c. 1434) Miraflores Altarpiece (c. 1442–45) Seven Sacraments Altarpiece (c. 1448) Beaune Altarpiece (c. 1445–50) The Braque Triptych (c. 1452) Saint Columba altarpiece (c. 1455) Altar of Saint John (c. 1455) Nativity Triptych (1460s)

Civic	The Justice of Trajan and Herkinbald (c. 1450)

Miniature	Jean Wauquelin presenting his 'Chroniques de Hainaut' to Philip the Good (1447–1448)

Embroidery	Fragments of a Cope with the Seven Sacraments

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