Gualino Madonna 1285

Duccio painted this Gualino Madonna sometime in the late 13th or early 14th century, using tempera on wood. Tempera involves a careful layering of pigments, and the use of egg yolk as a binder creates a durable, matte surface. This painting would have been made panel by panel, using simple tools, with the artist likely relying on assistants to prepare materials like gesso. In order to lay down the gold leaf, for example, would have been an intricate, skilled process in itself. These were techniques belonging to a shared visual culture, not just to 'fine art'. The result is a rich yet subdued visual effect. Consider, too, how the painting would have originally functioned: not as a precious art object in a gallery like this, but as part of an alterpiece, used to create a sense of awe, wonder, and contemplation. Remembering the material processes, and social context, helps us to understand the full meaning of this remarkable image.