When Giacomo del Pisano created this version of Madonna and Child with Angels, Byzantine art was almost entirely concerned with religious expression. In the late 1340’s, the Black Death had wiped out 50% of the population, art was responsive to growing European Powers, and increase of popularity in Humanism was steadily becoming more prominent, giving way to a changed new era. As the 14th century approached and decline of the Byzantine era was nigh, Byzantine painting remained uniform and anonymous. This consistent art was developed within a inflexible tradition. The many paintings covering this theme usually show Mary holding the infant Jesus in an informal and maternal manner which seems to be the focus of most Madonna paintings during …show more content…
Before the first Madonna and Child with Angels paintings, it was a popular topic to paint the Madonna Enthroned as to be requested by church leaders or leaders of the states formed during that time. The main focal point in the paintings of Madonna Enthroned was herself the Maestà (majesty). Duccio's Maestà put Italian painting on a path directed away from the hieratic representations of Byzantine art towards more direct depictions of reality, such as to be seen in later Humanistic versions of Madonna and Child with Angels. You can also clearly see that it is Madonna who is putting her hands together as to be praying to or for the God-child. Preceding this painting, depictions of Madonna enthroned most definitely represent herself as a worshiped figure. The Madonna and Child was often times a simple representation. These paintings did not have accurate anatomical features. This was not because artists were unable to paint the human form accurately, they had been doing that for centuries before, they painted in this style because they were not made for the purpose of drawing attention to themselves. Instead they were designed to direct attention to the subject matter. Throughout the years before and after Giacomo’s Madonna and Child with Angels, paintings of Madonna and Jesus carried equivalent religious and cultural