User:Sayerslle/The Botti Madonna

The Botti Madonna c. 1528-1530, 23 x 16 inches, is a painting by Andrea del Sarto. It was painted shortly before the death of the artist, at the age of 44, from the plague. It depicts Mary with the infant Jesus. It is in  the Courtauld Institute Gallery, Somerset House. Traces of drawing show through in places, in the babys face and Virgins eyes especially,  which  becoam a part of its intimate informality. the painting concentrates on the intimate contact betwen mothrer and baby, unable to support his own head - she is gently opening his mouth -

Owned by Grand Duke Cosimo II of Florence, and  Charles I of England - it was thought lost. It was mentioned in late 16th century Florentine guidbook - " a painting of our Lady with the Child by the hand of Andrea del Sarto, in the house of  matteo and  Giovanni Battista Botti, admired by connoisseurs and artists - " It had been in a North american family collection for 3 1/2 centuries - with  botched repair job - having been re-discoverd it was restored -

Florence was in a religious moment when Sarto  painted this, following the Sack of Rome (1527), - every Florentine, for example , was  required by edict to stop what they were doing and genuflect when the Angelus bell sounded at noon.