Masaccio, madonna del solletico, 1426 ca. 04

A small panel painting showing the Madonna in a blue cloak over a red dress, cradling the infant Jesus. The child is wrapped tightly in swaddling clothes and wears a red coral pendant around his neck, set against a patterned gold background. The scene emphasizes a moment of human intimacy and physical presence through the solid rendering of the figures.

This work is a key example of the shift toward naturalism in early 15th-century Florence, emphasizing the 'humanity' of Christ. The inclusion of the red coral necklace links the image to medieval and Renaissance natural philosophy, where coral was believed to have apotropaic properties to protect children from evil and illness.