The Coronation of the Virgin with Five Music-Making Angels

Christ crowns Mary, making his earthly mother the queen of heaven, while angels play music, leaving no doubt of their whereabouts. At a time when artists were aiming to imitate real life, Mariotto was famous for painting crisp details and the kind of subtle color shifts seen in the angels’ feathered wings and draped robes. This panel was made for a church on the outskirts of Florence, Italy (Santo Stefano in Pane), and was originally the center of a large altarpiece covered with many other paintings—including two small pictures also in Mia's collection, which once topped the upper corners (Mariotto di Nardo, Saint Bartholomew and Saint Anthony Abbott, Gift of Daniel Wildenstein 66.7). Conservation of this painting was made possible by a generous contribution from an anonymous donor