Head of the Virgin

Taddeo di Bartolo, one of the leading Sienese painters of the late fourteenth century, created this intimate Head of the Virgin as either a fragment from a larger composition or an independent devotional image. Working in the refined Sienese tradition descended from Duccio and Simone Martini, Taddeo brought a new emotional warmth and naturalistic observation to the established iconic types. He was widely active across Tuscany and Liguria, receiving major commissions in Siena, Perugia, and Genoa.

Executed in egg tempera on panel, the work reveals Taddeo's sensitive handling of flesh tones through layered glazes, achieving a luminous warmth in the Virgin's complexion. The delicate modeling and refined linear contours demonstrate the technical sophistication of late Sienese Gothic painting.