Neri di Bicci - The Virgin and Child with Angels

Neri di Bicci

The Virgin and Child with Angels

Tempera and gold leaf on panel (parquetted). 59.5 x 42.5 cm.

Neri di Bicci was the son of the painter Bicci di Lorenzo. Born in Florence, Neri apprenticed in his father's workshop before taking over upon his father's death in 1452. The painter's “Libro dei Riccordi“, in which he recorded his commissions from 1458-1475, provides ample information about the artist's successful career. The book is housed today in the manuscript collection of the Uffizi in Florence. Neri had numerous pupils, including famous names such as Cosimo Rosselli, Francesco Botticini, and Giusto d´Andrea.

The present work is a typical example of this painter's style. It is characterised by conservative tendencies harking back to the Gothic era, and Neri continued to use these elements until his death. This makes it difficult to date his works securely within his oeuvre, and the present panel is no exception. It depicts the Virgin Mary and Christ in half-length. The solemn atmosphere of the work is emphasised by the hieratic arrangement of the two assisting angels and the generous use of gold leaf for the haloes and hems of the robes. Instead of using gold leaf for the background, the artist instead paints an ornamental night sky with clouds and stylised stars. The Pushkin Museum in Moscow houses a comparable work by Neri di Bicci depicting the Virgin and Child with a pomegranate.

Provenance

Ercole Canessa (1868-1829) New York/Paris. - His sale at American Art Association, New York 25./26.02.1924, loot 164. - Galerie Durand Ruel, Paris 1925. - Evan M. Evans, New York 1961 and 1967. - Sotheby´s Parke-Bernet, New York 14.01.1988, lot 58. - Private ownership, Italy.