It is kept in the private sovereign collection of the British Royal Family at Windsor's Royal Library/Marlborough House, having been purchased for Prince Albert in London in 1846. It regularly transitions to major public institutions, like London's National Gallery, for special Renaissance exhibitions.
Historically commended as Giotto’s most brilliant pupil, Bernardo Daddi remarkably transcended his master’s grand, heavy, monumental realism, blending it seamlessly with the lyrical grace of the Sienese school. His love for Sienese Gothic lyricism introduced an unprecedented, aristocratic sweetness to Florentine art. Once part of "The San Pancrazio Altarpiece" (Polyptych of San Pancrazio), originally commissioned for Florence Cathedral and later recorded by Vasari at the church of San Pancrazio, this panel was the sixth scene in an eight-part predella illustrating the early life of the Virgin and was called "The Marriage of the Virgin". Though the multi-tiered altarpiece was dismembered in the 18th century, with most panels now housed in the Uffizi, this specific fragment survived a turbulent journey. Cut down and subtly repainted at its corners, it remains the best-preserved narrative panel of the sequence, currently residing in the British Royal Collection at Windsor Castle. Drawing from the apocryphal "Protoevangelium of James" and "The Golden Legend", in this panel, Daddi captures the divine moment when Joseph's dry staff miraculously blossoms, selecting him as Mary’s husband. As the bare-headed High Priest joins the hands of Mary and Joseph, a dove, the Holy Spirit, perches upon Joseph’s flowering rod. On the periphery, Daddi spikes this serene stillness with raw, theatrical humanity, painting disappointed suitors violently snapping their barren rods. While the dignified weight of the figures underscore the influence of Giotto, Daddi's use of the intense bright colours, delicate modelling and decorative details derive directly from the works of Sienese artists such as Ambrogio and Pietro Lorenzetti.
The biblical story of the marriage between Mary and Joseph, a highly popular subject in Christian art during the 14th and 15th centuries, is depicted here. We can see the strong influence of Giotto’s stylistic features. Comparing this to Giotto’s interpretation in the Scrovegni Chapel, it can be observed that the figures painted by Daddi have more elongated and elegant features, marking a difference in their styles. Furthermore, Daddi amplifies the narrative's emotional and decorative qualities. He replaces Giotto’s sparse architectural background with a lavishly patterned textile backdrop, creating a more intimate stage.
