This gilded tempera panel painting has resided in the Paintings/Objects conservation lab for almost a year. Madonna and Child (circa 1400s) entered CAM’s collection in 1983 as a work by Bernardo Daddi (circa 1280–1348), an artist of the early Italian Renaissance. Today, the painting is attributed to an unknown Italian Renaissance artist, due in large part to questions about its style.

After a very close and extended examination by our conservator, it seems certain Madonna and Child was originally part of an Italian Renaissance altarpiece. Comprised of multiple panel paintings, the larger work was taken apart at some point, probably centuries ago. At the time of its disassembly, our Madonna panel became the single painting shown here, trimmed and reframed with an running along its base, stating:

AVE [MARIA] GRATIA PLENA DOMINUS TECUM BENEDICTA TU [IN MULIERBUS]

Translation:

Hail [Mary] full of grace the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou [among women.]

In the course of the recent conservation treatment, we decluttered this elaborate later framing.

Four columns had been added on either side of the painting. These elements covered parts of the scene including two additional figures. A keen eye might notice in the “Before” image that the columns were actually attached upside down! The capitals, or decorative tops of the columns, can be seen at the base of each column instead of at the top! All four were easily removed, uncovering the figures flanking the central group.

The ornamental tracery, inserted under the primary frame along the inner edge of the arch, obscured elements in the top half of the painting. It was removed to allow the whole gilded area to be visible.

After conservation and decluttering the frame, the crowd of saints surrounding the throne is now fully visible. At the same time, more thorough inpainting of numerous small losses to the paint has improved the legibility of areas such as the intricately patterned tile floor.

We’re hoping to install Madonna and Child soon in our European galleries.