Rucellai Madonna Analysis

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The Rucellai Madonna was a panel painting commissioned to the Sienese painter Duccio di Buoninsegna by the officials of the Florentine lay confraternity, the Laudesi of Santa Maria Novella in 1285. It was originally located in the Rucellai Chapel of church Santa Maria Novella. WHEN it was moved to Galleria degli Uffizi. This paper introduces the social background under which the painting was made and explores Duccio’s renovation in creating this painting.

Background brotherhood and commission
The Confraternity of the Laudesi of Santa Maria Novella was founded in 1244 - 1245 by St. Peter Martyr, an early Dominican friar, during his stay in Florence. The collective devotions of the Laudesi confraternity were primarily directed to praising and honoring the Virgin. founder relationship with the community relationship with the church
(attribution history) contract. There are several explanations for why a Sienese painter was commissioned instead of a Florentine one. Diana Norman offers two possible reasons: 1) “other older Sienese painters such as Guido da Siena were …show more content…

The artist should “glid the panel at his own expense and [guarantee] the beauty of the whole as of the details [et omnia et singula].” It was required for the work to be made “as beautifully as possible [pulcherrima pictura]”. Despite the artistic merit, the contract focused more on the competitive aspect that they expected for this panel painting, particularly its size. (duccio接到任务时panel已经做好了). The patron also made the decision of the unusual form of pediment, the high-backed throne, the six adoring angels known from Guido’s