Madonna and Child with Two Saints and a Donor

Not to be confused with Madonna and Child with Two Saints (Gentile da Fabriano).

Madonna and Child with Two Saints and a Donor is a c. 1395–1400 tempera and gold leaf on panel painting by the Italian artist Gentile da Fabriano, the earliest surviving major work by the artist. Probably painted for the church of Santa Caterina in Castelvecchio in Fabriano (the painter's father lived near that church from 1385 onwards after being widowed). It is now in the Gemäldegalerie in Berlin.^[1][2]

Madonna and Child with Two Saints and a Donor (c. 1395–1400) by Gentile da Fabriano

On the right is Catherine of Alexandria, referring to the name of the church for which the work was probably produced. To the left is Nicholas of Bari presenting the work's donor - the latter dressed as a merchant and may be Ambrogio di Bonaventura (died between 1395 and 1408), whose golden mark (a circle with rays surmounted by a cross) is to be seen at his feet.^[3]

References

1. (in Italian) Mauro Minardi, Gentile da Fabriano, Skira, Milano 2005.
2. "Thronende Maria mit dem Kind, dem Heiligen Nikolaus von Bari, der Heiligen Katharina von Alexandrien und einem Stifter". Staatliche Museen zu Berlin — Collections online. Retrieved 2024-04-18.
3. "Catalogue entry".