FILE: 36_Birth of the Virgin_Ghirlandaio.jpg

TITLE: PAINTING - Birth of the Virgin - EARLY ITALIAN RENAISSANCE

DESCRIPTION: by GHIRLANDAIO. (He's known as "The Great Synthesizer" c/o he put together all the advancements of his time.) A SACRED NARRATIVE. In church in FLORENCE. This painting illustrates PATRONAGE. Commissioned by Tornabuoni family as part of a cycle of scenes from life of Mary. Unusual because: 1)We don't usually see Mary as a baby. See her mother Anna, too. 2) See group of women on L = portraits of women of Tornabuoni family. 1st woman is Giovanna. They are in Florentine quatrocento room in their palace. THIS IS 1ST TIME WE SEE DONORS INTERACTING WITH SACRED FIGURES.