Desco da parto
Masaccio·1500
Historical Context
This desco da parto (birth tray) is attributed to a follower of Masaccio rather than to the master himself, who died in 1428 at age twenty-six. Deschi da parto were ceremonial trays painted for wealthy Florentine families to celebrate the birth of a child, typically depicting allegorical or narrative scenes of good fortune. The attribution to Masaccio's circle reflects the influence his revolutionary style exerted on Florentine painting even after his premature death. The tray is in the Gemaldegalerie in Berlin.
Technical Analysis
The circular format of the birth tray presents a decorative scene painted with the tempera technique standard for such domestic objects. While the attribution to Masaccio himself is unlikely, the figures show the influence of his volumetric approach to the human form. The composition adapts to the circular format with figures arranged in a narrative scene that demonstrates the Florentine workshop tradition of applying monumental figure styles to intimate domestic objects.
