Madonna and Child with St. John the Baptist

Botticelli painted numerous variations of the Madonna and Child throughout the 1480s and 1490s, often incorporating the young Saint John the Baptist as a symbol of Florence's patron saint. This tondo-format composition reflects the devotional tastes of Florentine merchant families who commissioned such works for private chapels. By 1490, Botticelli's style had grown more linear and emotionally intense under the influence of Savonarola's preaching.

Tempera on panel in the tondo format favored by Florentine patrons. Botticelli's distinctive flowing line work defines the figures, with characteristic golden tonalities and delicate modeling of flesh.