The crucifixion under a Madonna in a medallion

Andrea Vanni painted this Crucifixion surmounted by a medallion of the Virgin Mary around 1380, combining two of the most important devotional subjects of the late Gothic period. Vanni, a prominent Sienese painter and political figure who served on the city council, maintained close ties with religious communities including Saint Catherine of Siena's circle. The unusual combination of Crucifixion and Marian medallion suggests this panel served a specific devotional program, perhaps for a confraternity or private chapel.

Rendered in egg tempera on gold-ground panel, the vertical composition places the Crucifixion below a roundel containing the Virgin's bust portrait. The layered iconographic arrangement and refined Sienese handling of line and color demonstrate Vanni's skill in adapting traditional formats for devotional purposes.