Masaccio, Madonna col Bambino detta “Madonna del solletico”.
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Masaccio, Madonna and Child, nicknamed “Madonna of the Tickle ”, 1426. Tempera on panel.
This painting, measuring only 24.5 centimeters by 18.2 centimeters, was attributed to Masaccio in 1950, and dubbed the “Madonna of the Tickle.” Because of its small size, and thus its easy transportability, it endured various adventures: the painting was stolen by the Nazis, rescued after the war, stolen once more and recovered during the 1970's, and finally found its way to the Uffizi. The attribution to Masaccio, at first contested by several critics, is now almost unanimously accepted, even though no documents survive that mention this little masterpiece, which—being destined for private devotion—was never cited in the sources nor known to the general public. Therefore the painter's identity was proposed on the basis of the style of the work: the playful gesture of the Madonna, and the laughing, joyous Christ-child who pushes back His mother's hand with His own little ones, transmit a spontaneous and natural humanity typical of Masaccio, the supreme painter of the early Renaissance.
The position of the Madonna, off-center and to the right, evokes movement and space within the traditional golden background; the two aureola are superimposed on each other, thus making it clear that there are two levels of depth. Note the elegant swaddling clothes of the Christ-child, the transparent under-shirt, the tiny branch of coral playfully dangling from His shoulder, the precious border of the Madonna's mantle, the soft and glowing color of the faces. In this case we do not have, as with the previous works, a figure or a face which indicate the patron, but if you go around and look at the reverse side of the work, you can see a shield with six red stars on a yellow field, and above, a red cardinal's hat. This coat of arms belonged to Antonio Casini, bishop of Siena, elected cardinal in 1426: in this way are revealed the patron's identity as well as the probable date of execution, exactly 1426, when Casini would have started to wear his cardinal's hat. A refined and cultured man, the cardinal was a passionately dedicated patron of artworks: among these stands out this small jewel. Although it does not show us his face, it does preserve his name, his tastes, and his love of art.
This painting, measuring only 24.5 centimeters by 18.2 centimeters, was attributed to Masaccio in 1950, and dubbed the “Madonna of the Tickle.” Because of its small size, and thus its easy transportability, it endured various adventures: the painting was stolen by the Nazis, rescued after the war, stolen once more and recovered during the 1970's, and finally found its way to the Uffizi. The attribution to Masaccio, at first contested by several critics, is now almost unanimously accepted, even though no documents survive that mention this little masterpiece, which—being destined for private devotion—was never cited in the sources nor known to the general public. Therefore the painter's identity was proposed on the basis of the style of the work: the playful gesture of the Madonna, and the laughing, joyous Christ-child who pushes back His mother's hand with His own little ones, transmit a spontaneous and natural humanity typical of Masaccio, the supreme painter of the early Renaissance.
The position of the Madonna, off-center and to the right, evokes movement and space within the traditional golden background; the two aureola are superimposed on each other, thus making it clear that there are two levels of depth. Note the elegant swaddling clothes of the Christ-child, the transparent under-shirt, the tiny branch of coral playfully dangling from His shoulder, the precious border of the Madonna's mantle, the soft and glowing color of the faces. In this case we do not have, as with the previous works, a figure or a face which indicate the patron, but if you go around and look at the reverse side of the work, you can see a shield with six red stars on a yellow field, and above, a red cardinal's hat. This coat of arms belonged to Antonio Casini, bishop of Siena, elected cardinal in 1426: in this way are revealed the patron's identity as well as the probable date of execution, exactly 1426, when Casini would have started to wear his cardinal's hat. A refined and cultured man, the cardinal was a passionately dedicated patron of artworks: among these stands out this small jewel. Although it does not show us his face, it does preserve his name, his tastes, and his love of art.
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