This artwork, named Madonna and Child Enthroned, was painted by Giotto for the Church of Ognissanti in Florence between 1295 to 1297. It is part of a five-section polyptych with each figure possessing divinity as signified by golden halos. This masterpiece depicts the Madonna and Child, surrounded by blocky corporeal figures against a traditional Byzantine background of gold leaf.
Giotto introduced three-dimensional plasticity through his use of grounded and realistic blocking techniques to depict both Mary’s purity symbolized by a white rose and her baby holding the orb that symbolizes power. Each detail in this painting employs naturalistic painting techniques that make it stunningly beautiful. The dimensions of this painting are 325 cm x 204 cm (128 x 80 inches), making it one of the largest altarpieces of its kind from its period.
This masterpiece shows great influence from Italo-Byzantine style which Giotto built upon to create something entirely new. This blend formed an unconventional artistic approach depicting Mary not as an otherworldly being but rather someone more grounded in reality. Moreover, despite being over seven centuries old, Madonna and Child Enthroned still stands out for its technical brilliance and artistic ingenuity thanks in large part to Giotti’s flawless execution on display here.
