Madonna and Child Enthroned with Two Donors

Lorenzo Veneziano, the preeminent Venetian painter of the second half of the fourteenth century, may have trained in the workshop of Paolo Veneziano, a celebrated artist rooted in the Byzantine tradition, to which Venice and its art were so closely tied. Lorenzo was receptive to the influences of other artistic centers where he was active, such as Padua, Verona, and Bologna. The Virgin’s architectonic throne was likely inspired by the Paduan painter Guariento. The detailing of the throne, the Virgin’s brocaded garments, and the ermine lining of the Christ’s Child’s tunic evoke the emphasis on ornamentation and surface pattern characteristic of Venetian painting of this period. Lorenzo’s rendering of the goldfinch, a symbol of the Passion, highlights his attention to naturalism.