Madonna and Child Enthroned known as Madonna delle carceri

The Virgin is seated on a cushion placed on a backless throne. She supports the Christ Child with her left arm, while her right hand holds a gem-studded cross. The richly draped robe and crowned hairstyle of the Virgin recall the Byzantine style that spread through central Italy’s inland regions during the medieval period. Little is known about its title, which may refer either to its original provenance or to the distinctive grid-pattern decoration in the background. The artwork shows evident traces of modern reworking, particularly in the modeling of the Virgin’s and Child’s faces and in the polychrome inlays of the background.