Quaratesi Madonna
Gentile da Fabriano·1425
Historical Context
The Quaratesi Madonna from 1425 at the National Gallery is part of the altarpiece Gentile painted for the Quaratesi family chapel in San Niccolò Oltrarno, Florence. This was one of his last major commissions before his death in Rome in 1427, representing the culmination of his elegant, courtly style. Characteristic of the artist's mature approach, the work displays sumptuous gold and jewel-like color, elegant courtly figures in elaborate brocade, lyrical narrative, exquisite surface detail in goldwork and textiles.
Technical Analysis
The Madonna and Child are rendered with the refined elegance and rich surface decoration that characterized Gentile's International Gothic style, combined with an increasing naturalism in the modeling of faces and drapery.
