The painting is one by Taddeo Gaddi, a renowned pupil of the master Giotto di Bondone. Giotto’s artistic style of naturalism, as part of the proto-Renaissance period, can be seen as an influence in the painting- Mourning Mary.
Painted on a wood panel with egg tempera, the illustration is one belonging to religious iconography. It falls in the tradition of painting Mother Mary as the ‘mother of sorrows’ or Mater Dolorosa in a mourning posture in memory of her son, Jesus Christ. Her figure is embodied with a silent grief, without being too loud or dramatic.
The gold leaf background signifies the divine golden light from heaven, which is framed inside a Gothic structure with its apex pointing above the head of the Virgin Mary. A soft dotted halo surrounds her head, rooting her in religious art.
It is one of the iconic styles of painting the Virgin Mary. Though what makes this one apart is the influence of Giotto on gaddi which painted divine figures in a more human light. Her drooping eyes on a long, deep face with wrinkles on the side give her the image of an old mother in mourning. Her cheeks are brushed with a tint of red, the only colour her face possesses, falling in contrast with her otherwise dull and brooding demeanour.
This artwork indeed is a unique piece as it indicates the transition from Pre-Renaissance naturalism to the Realistic idealism seen later in the high Renaissance. The imagery shows a naturalistic outline of Mother Mary with certain elements hinting the viewer about the idealistic intuition and treatment of the painter Taddeo Gaddi, displayed through the elongated fingers, face and hands of the figure. At the time, the society was shifting towards the revival of the ancient classical traditions, hence it was important for an artwork to serve the religious iconological purpose or objective along with allowing the artist to explore their own aesthetical practice by following a conventional or canonical portrayal that is based on the fundamental principles of painting. This shift reached its epitome in the Late Renaissance when the painters implemented complete experimentation in their works to depart from the conventional canons. This departure led to the age of Mannerism.
