“The Virgin and Child Enthroned with Six Saints” by Botticelli at the Uffizi Gallery in Florence

Botticelli (1445-1510) “Madonna and Child Enthroned with Saint Catherine of Alexandria and Saints Augustine, Barnabas, John the Baptist, Ignatius of Antioch and the Archangel Michael”

Painting - Oil on Wood (268 x 280 cm) 1483-1488

Sandro Botticelli, Madonna and Child Enthroned, Uffizi Gallery, Florence Italy

Madonna and Child Enthroned This beautiful altarpiece by Botticelli was located above the high altar of the church of San Barnaba in Florence.

The Virgin, seated on a throne, carries the infant Jesus in her arms.

On the highest step of the throne, Botticelli painted the first line of the last Canto of Dante's “Paradiso”: “VERGINE MADRE FIGLIA DEL TVO FIGLIO”.

Four angels surround the Virgin and the Child Jesus.

Two of the angels hold the curtains of the canopy of the throne, while the other two hold the crown of thorns and the nails of the crucifixion respectively.

Madonna and Child Enthroned The two reliefs on either side of the canopy curtains depict the Annunciation.

Six saints are depicted standing at the foot of the throne.

On the left of the altarpiece is Saint Catherine of Alexandria.

She is wearing a blue dress covered by a long green shawl.

The wheel of her martyrdom can be seen just behind her.

At her side, writing in a book, St Augustine is depicted as a bishop, wearing a mitre.

Madonna and Child Enthroned The angel Gabriel is on the left relief and the Virgin on the right.

Between St Augustine and the Virgin stands St Barnabas, the patron saint of the church of San Barnaba.

Saint Barnabas holds in his right hand a laurel branch in reference to Florence's victory in the battle of Campaldino on 11 June 1289, the day of Saint Barnabas, the Guelphs of Florence against the Ghibellines supported by Arezzo.

A battle in which more than 20,000 men fought, including Dante Alighieri, who mentions some of the episodes in his “Divine Comedy”.

A bloody battle, won by the Guelphs of Florence and in which 1,700 Ghibellines were killed.

Madonna and Child Enthroned Legend has it that one day before the messengers of the Florentine army arrived in Florence to announce the victory of the Guelphs, the Priors of Florence had already been informed of it by Saint Barnabas himself.

On the right-hand side of the altarpiece, three other saints are depicted, from left to right: St John the Baptist, St Ignatius and the Archangel St Michael. St John the Baptist is the most poorly dressed and carries his long cross. Behind him, St Ignatius, wearing a mitre, holds a heart against his chest. The Archangel Michael Behind him, Saint Ignatius, wearing a mitre, holds a heart against his chest.

The Archangel Michael is clad in armour.

He is holding a sword in his right hand and, in his left hand, a sphere representing the world on which the trace of the serpent can be seen.

Madonna and Child Enthroned

Predella of the Virgin and Child Enthroned