The ''Madonna and Child with Saints'', also known as the ''Pucci Altarpiece'' ( it, Pala Pucci), is a painting by the Italian late Renaissance painter Jacopo Pontormo, executed in 1516. It is housed in the church of

San Michele Visdomini San Michele Visdomini is a Roman Catholic church in the centre of Florence, central Italy. The original church of San Michele was demolished in 1368 to make space for the tribunes of the new Cathedral of Florence. Soon it was rebuilt in its present ...

in Florence. It portrays numerous figures.

Saint Joseph Joseph (; el, Ἰωσήφ, translit=Ioséph) was a 1st-century Jewish man of Nazareth who, according to the canonical Gospels, was married to Mary, the mother of Jesus, and was the legal father of Jesus. The Gospels also name some brothers of ...

, on the left, is holding the

Christ Child The Christ Child, also known as Divine Infant, Baby Jesus, Infant Jesus, the Divine Child, Child Jesus, the Holy Child, Santo Niño, and to some as Señor Noemi refers to Jesus Christ from his nativity to age 12. The four canonical gospels, a ...

(a role usually fulfilled by the Madonna). The presence of Saint Joseph is explained by the fact that the Gospel of James deals with Christ's childhood and praises Joseph's paternal cares. Saint Francis is connected to name of the commissioner and the devotion of his order towards Jesus.

History

The work was commissioned by

Francesco Pucci Francesco Pucci (1543 – 5 July 1597) was an Italian philosopher and humanist. Life Pucci was born in Figline Valdarno. He was of the same family as the Cardinals Lorenzo Pucci, Roberto Pucci, and Antonio Pucci. He worked began in a mercantile ...

, a collaborator of the House of Medici and a justice

gonfaloniere The Gonfalonier (in Italian: ''Gonfaloniere'') was the holder of a highly prestigious communal office in medieval and Renaissance Italy, notably in Florence and the Papal States. The name derives from ''gonfalone'' (in English, gonfalon), the ter ...

. The date can be seen in the painting on the book held by Saint John the Evangelist, on the left. The largest oil painting on canvas by Pontormo, it is also one of the few works by him which is still in its original location.

Sources

External links

* {{16C-painting-stub 1516 paintings Paintings by Pontormo Paintings of the Holy Family Paintings of Francis of Assisi Pontormo Altarpieces