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Florence, perhaps even more than Venice or Rome, is considered the epitome of the Renaissance, the era in which mankind entered the so-called modern age and left the Middle Ages behind. The city on the Arno, which had become rich through textile processing and banking, flourished from the 13th century onwards. However, a devastating plague epidemic in 1348 led to a dramatic decline in population and a severe economic crisis. During this time, the inhabitants’ need for comfort and protection grew. This led to an impressive phenomenon: those who could afford it coveted a small-format image of the Madonna for private worship at home. The sculpture collection’s special exhibition “Close to the Madonna. Reliefs and Paintings of the Florentine Renaissance” from Saturday, 23. November 2024, to Saturday, 27. April 2025, is dedicated to these special objects.
Although there were already small-format panel paintings for the home, they were very expensive. Therefore, from the early 15th century, workshops such as that of Lorenzo Ghiberti (around 1378-1455) began to produce reliefs from inexpensive clay or plaster, which could also be reproduced by casting. Painted and, if necessary, provided with a carved wooden frame, decorative objects were created that were also affordable for less …
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Image above: Michele di Bartolomeo Michelozzi, gen. Michelozzo (zugeschrieben), Madonna mit Kind, um 1440 © Skulpturensammlung, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden, Foto: Jürgen Lange
