Galleries:
European Art 1100–1650

Unknown artist, Umbria, Italy
Madonna and Child with St. Thomas Aquinas and a Bishop Saint, 1440–1480
Tempera and gold on panel
Gift of Alice Berle Crawford, 1992/1.134

European Art 1100–1650

From the medieval period through the exuberance of the Baroque, the splendors of European art are on display in this first floor gallery in Alumni Memorial Hall. Several pieces, such as the Madonna and Child with St. Thomas Aquinas and a Bishop Saint, by an unknown Umbrian artist around 1475, have long held an important place in UMMA’s teaching mission—and in the affection of visitors. The massively scaled Esther before Ahasuerus is shown with rare preparatory drawings for the painting, offering a glimpse into the creative process of Italian artist Guercino. Elsewhere in the gallery, rarely seen works of decorative art and long-term loans invite visitors to new discoveries.