Madonna and Child

Bartolomeo Caporali was a painter and manuscript illuminator active in Perugia during the second half of the fifteenth century. This Madonna and Child from around 1490 reflects the Umbrian devotional tradition that Caporali shared with his more famous contemporary Perugino. As both painter and miniaturist, Caporali's work bridges the traditions of panel painting and book illumination. This work belongs to the High Renaissance, when the innovations of the preceding century were synthesized into works of monumental clarity and ideal beauty.

Tempera on panel with the luminous palette and gentle figure style characteristic of Umbrian devotional painting. The miniaturist's precision is evident in the careful rendering of decorative details.