Virgin and Child
- Artist: Barnaba da Modena (Artists)active(active)
- Date: c. 1365-70
- Medium: tempera on panel
- Museum: The Courtauld Gallery
- Collection record: The Courtauld Gallery website
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About this artwork
This is the Virgin and Child by Barnaba da Modena. The panel, painted around 1365‑70 in tempera on wood, reflects the transitional style of Genoa where the artist worked. Barnaba, born in Modena in central Italy, carried the older Byzantine tradition into his Genoese commissions, favoring stylised forms over realistic detail. Notice how the Virgin’s robe is delineated by rhythmic gold lines that suggest folds without rendering them in a naturalistic way; the gold gives the garment a subtle, almost musical quality. The work was made for private prayer, which explains the intimate setting: the Virgin calmly holds the infant Christ in a simple, serene pose that invites devotion.
At the bottom of the panel, in Latin, a brief inscription reads “Barnaba da Modena painted [this],” making it one of the earliest documented artist signatures we have from the period. The careful tempera washes and gold leaf accents create a luminous effect, allowing the figures to glow against the dark background. Overall, the painting is a fascinating example of how medieval Italian artists blended Byzantine heritage with emerging Gothic sensibilities to create devotional works that were both personal and visually striking.
See it in person
Virgin and Child hangs in The Courtauld Gallery at Somerset House, London. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
