madonna tra s. caterina e s. zanobi coi donatori

Bernardo Daddi's Madonna between Saints Catherine and Zenobius with Donors (c. 1350) at the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo in Florence combines Marian devotion with the veneration of a specifically Florentine saint. Saint Zenobius, the first bishop of Florence, was a patron saint of the city, and his inclusion alongside the more universally venerated Saint Catherine of Alexandria reflects the local devotional context of the commission. The presence of donor figures kneeling at the Virgin's feet documents the growing practice among Florentine citizens of inserting themselves into sacred imagery as an act of piety and social display.

Tempera and gold on panel with a balanced composition grouping the central Madonna with flanking saints and smaller donor figures. Daddi's technique shows his characteristic soft modeling, gentle facial expressions, and refined gold tooling, combining the Giottesque volumetric tradition with a more intimate, lyrical sensibility.