Carlo Crivelli - Madonna and Child with Saints and Donor - Walters 37593

Mary's crown and the elegance of her dress reinforce the status of the embracing Virgin and Child as Queen and King of Heaven. The unknown donor-the little figure in the lower left corner-belonged to the Franciscan Order founded by St. Francis of Assisi. The initials FBDA might stand for Fra Bernardino da Ancona (Brother Bernardino of Ancona). St. Francis is standing to the left of the Madonna and Child and, on the right, is another Franciscan: St. Bernadino of Siena, holding his attribute, the plaque inscribed with Christ's initials surrounded by the rays of the sun. This altarpiece was almost certainly made for a private oratory, or chapel, in a convent in the Marches (eastern-central Italy) where Crivelli was active.
The panel displays Crivelli's original style of employing sharp outlines, splendid surface textures, and striking illusionist effects, such as the cushion on which Christ stands that seems to extend into the viewer's space.