description Rucellai Madonna Overview
The Rucellai Madonna is a monumental tempera-and-gold altarpiece painted by Duccio di Buoninsegna in 1285 for the Florentine confraternity known as the Laudesi at Santa Maria Novella. It shows the enthroned Virgin and Child surrounded by angels within an ornate architectural frame. Long attributed to Cimabue, it is now recognized as a major early work by Duccio and an important example of Sienese painting's graceful line, rich color, and Byzantine inheritance.
help Rucellai Madonna FAQ
Why is Duccio's altarpiece called the Rucellai Madonna?
The name comes from the Rucellai family chapel at Santa Maria Novella, where the work was placed centuries after it was painted. Its original commissioners in 1285 were the Laudesi, a Florentine confraternity devoted to singing praises to the Virgin.
How large is the Rucellai Madonna?
The panel measures about 450 by 290 centimeters. The Uffizi describes it as the largest known painted wooden panel from the 13th century.
Where is the Rucellai Madonna displayed now?
It is displayed at the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, although it remains connected to Santa Maria Novella. At the Uffizi it can be viewed alongside monumental enthroned Madonnas by Cimabue and Giotto.
Why do the throne and angels look different from figures in later Renaissance paintings?
Duccio was working with tempera, gold leaf, and conventions inherited from Byzantine art rather than the fully mathematical perspective of the later Renaissance. The angled throne suggests depth, while the six angels appear stacked around it in a deliberately sacred, non-naturalistic space.
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