Madonna with Child and two cherubim – Fondazione Perugia – Perugia
The origin of the painting, probably conceived as a devotional altarole, is not certain, but it is possible to suppose that before being part of the London collection Holford it belonged to a noble family of Perugia or Terni.
Perugino’s autorship is undoubted, considering the high technical level of execution, while the suggested dating is about 1495, since the work has some points in common with the contemporary Pala dei Decemviri.
Influenced by the severe climate imposed by the monk Girolamo Savonarola during his short Florentine rule, Vannucci represents a very austere Madonna: the Virgin is still very young but the expression on her face is extremely serious, her hair doesn’t present any fashionable hairstyles.
The colors of her dress are intense but present softly nuanced shades (i.e. the green of the mantle and the red of the robe), recalling the Venetian experience.
The work is preserved at the Fondazione Perugia.
