Coronation of the Virgin
Medium
Tempera on wood, gold ground
Dimensions
Overall (shaped top): 70 5/8 × 51 3/4 in. (179.4 × 131.4 cm)
Classification
Paintings
Department
Robert Lehman Collection
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Robert Lehman Collection, 1975
Accession Number
1975.1.38
Tags
Art Historical Context
This magnificent panel by the Sienese painter Giovanni di Paolo depicts the Coronation of the Virgin, a cherished theme in Christian art of the fifteenth century. Created around 1455, the work shows Christ placing a crown upon Mary’s head amid a gathering of angels, celebrating her heavenly queenship in a solemn yet joyous ceremony. The painting’s shaped top suggests it once served as the centerpiece of an altarpiece, designed to inspire devotion in a church setting. Executed in tempera on wood with a shimmering gold ground, the piece exemplifies the luminous, otherworldly quality prized in I...