Virgin and Child with Saints

Also known as: Polyptych: Madonna and Child with St. Francis, St. John the Baptist, St. James the Great, and Mary Magdalen

About the Artwork

In medieval Italian churches, painted altarpieces served as the focal point for worshippers during the rituals of faith. The figures of Jesus, Mary, and eight saints are framed by a golden background that would have glistened in the flickering candlelight of the church.

Provenance

(F. Mont, New York)

Exhibition history

Year in Review (1961). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (November 1-26, 1961). Sacred Gifts and Worldly Treasures: Medieval Masterworks from the Cleveland Museum of Art. J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, CA (October 30, 2007-January 20, 2008); Frist Art Museum, Nashville, TN (February 13-June 7, 2009).

Quick Overview

Artist: Ugolino di Nerio (Italian)
Date: c. 1320
Medium: tempera and gold on wood panel
Dimensions: Framed: 122.2 x 200.3 x 8.9 cm (48 1/8 x 78 7/8 x 3 1/2 in.); Overall: 122.5 x 192.5 cm (48 1/4 x 75 13/16 in.)
Type: Painting
Classification: Painting
Department: Medieval Art
Credit line: Leonard C. Hanna Jr. Fund
Accession no.: 1961.40

Data retrieved from the Cleveland Museum of Art on October 8, 2026. The museum may have updated its record since.