Updated October 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 33 works by Gherardo Starnina in our catalogue
In short
Of all the originals Gherardo Starnina left, the most famous is Dormition of the Virgin (1408), in the collection of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia. Close behind it come Archangel Michael (1404) and Christ as Salvator Mundi (1405). Our catalog holds 33 works by Gherardo Starnina; the gallery has kept the 33 the world admires most, each shown with its date, its museum and its story.
The scene depicts the Dormition of the Virgin Mary, a crowded assembly of figures gathered around a central reclining form. The composition is dense, with bodies layered closely together against a flat, patterned gold background. Deep blues, vibrant reds, and ochre tones define the garments of the apostles and angels. Each figure is marked by a circular golden halo, creating a rhythmic repetition of shapes across the panel. The lighting…
Isaiah with Two Angels1410 · Museum of Fine Arts
12
Saint Stephen1410 · Museum of Fine Arts
13
The Dormition of the Virgin1405 · Art Institute of Chicago
14
Two Seated Angels Making Music1400 · Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen
15
Two Evangelists1407 · Rijksmuseum
16
St. Matthew (Two Evangelists)1407 · Rijksmuseum
17
Saints Mary Magdalene, Lawrence and a donor/ Angelo Acciaiuolo1405 · Gemäldegalerie
18
The Assumption of the Virgin1406 · Harvard Art Museums
19
Madonna and Child with SS Victor and Octavian1451 · Pinacoteca Comunale
20
Madonna and Child with Musical Angels1410 · J. Paul Getty Museum
21
Saint Hugh of Lincoln Exorcises a Man Possessed by the Devil1407 · Museo Poldi Pezzoli
22
Thebaid (detail)1410 · Galleria degli Uffizi
23
Thebaid (detail)1410 · Galleria degli Uffizi
24
The Beheading of Saint MargaretNational Gallery
25
The Last JudgmentBavarian State Painting Collections
26
Head of an AngelBarnes Foundation
27
St Benedict and Bishop DonatusNationalmuseum
28
St Vincent1410 · Museum of Fine Arts
29
(88 x 48 CM) (1400)Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya
30
Virgin with Child and SaintsGalleria dell'Accademia di Firenze
31
Madonna and child1403
32
Incoronazione della Vergine e angeliPalazzo della Pilotta
33
Thebaid1410 · Galleria degli Uffizi
The four subjects that come back most often in these originals, each with its finest example.
The 8 museums that hold the most of the paintings on this page.
| Museum | City | Works by Gherardo Starnina | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
 Städel Museum |
Frankfurt | 4 | Christ as Salvator Mundi, Archangel Gabriel, Virgin Annunciate |
 Museum of Fine Arts |
Boston | 4 | Jeremiah with Two Angels, Isaiah with Two Angels, Saint Stephen |
 Galleria degli Uffizi |
Florence | 3 | Thebaid (detail), Thebaid (detail), Thebaid |
 Rijksmuseum |
Amsterdam | 2 | Two Evangelists, St. Matthew (Two Evangelists) |
 Philadelphia Museum of Art |
Philadelphia | 1 | Dormition of the Virgin |
 Museo Nazionale di Villa Guinigi |
Lucca | 1 | Archangel Michael |
 The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art |
Kansas City | 1 | Adoration of the Magi |
 Cleveland Museum of Art |
Cleveland | 1 | Madonna and Child |
Barely a decade, 1400 to 1410, gave the world every dated Gherardo Starnina original in this selection: here it is, year by year.
Pick a year to see its originals.
The scene depicts the Dormition of the Virgin Mary, a crowded assembly of figures gathered around a central reclining form. The composition is dense, with bodies layered closely together against a flat, patterned gold background. Deep blues, vibrant reds, and ochre tones define the garments of the apostles and angels. Each figure is marked by a circular golden halo, creating a rhythmic repetition of shapes across the panel. The lighting…
Dormition of the Virgin (1408), Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia. Archangel Michael (1404) and Christ as Salvator Mundi (1405) come next.
54 years old: Dormition of the Virgin dates from 1408, and Gherardo Starnina was born in 1354.
Dormition of the Virgin, Archangel Michael, Christ as Salvator Mundi, Archangel Gabriel, Virgin Annunciate, Salvator Mundi, The Angel of the Annunciation and the Virgin Annunciate, Adoration of the Magi, Madonna and Child, A Bishop Saint and Saint Lawrence and Jeremiah with Two Angels. The ranking above gives each one's year and museum.
Our catalog holds 33 works by Gherardo Starnina, dated from 1400 to 1410.
Mostly in Städel Museum (Frankfurt), Museum of Fine Arts (Boston) and Galleria degli Uffizi (Florence). The museum table above lists them all.
In 1410: 8 of the 33 works on this page were made then, Jeremiah with Two Angels among them.
On this page, the earliest is Madonna and Child (1400) and the latest Jeremiah with Two Angels (1410).
People (3), Figures (2) and Medieval art (2), across the 33 works on this page.
Tempera On Panel, for 6 of the 33 works on this page.
Christ as Salvator Mundi, Archangel Gabriel and Virgin Annunciate: the Städel Museum, Frankfurt holds 4 of the works on this page.
In the golden twilight of the Middle Ages, as the rigid structures of the Gothic era began to soften under the warmth of burgeoning humanism, there emerged a painter whose brush captured the very essence of spiritual devotion and intricate beauty. Gherardo di Jacopo Starnina, known to history by the affectionate moniker “Starnina,” stands as a vital bridge in the evolution of Italian art. Born in Florence around 1354, his early years were steeped in the prestigious traditions of the Florentine school. As an apprentice to the renowned Agnolo Gaddi, Starnina was immersed in a world where the emotional depth of Giotto met the delicate, lyrical elegance of Simone Martini. This formative period instilled in him a lifelong duality: a profound commitment to realistic observation paired with an unwavering devotion to the spiritual narrative.
The trajectory of Starnina’s life took a transformative turn when he migrated toward Venice around 1380. This move was not merely a change in geography but a shift in artistic atmosphere. In Venice, the light was different, more luminous and atmospheric, and the burgeoning trade brought new textures and colors to the artist's palette. It was here that Starnina truly found his voice, establishing himself as a master of detail and a painter of profound faith. His work began to reflect the unique Venetian sensibility—a blend of rich, decorative splendor and a deep, contemplative stillness that invited the viewer into a state of prayerful meditation.
To gaze upon a Starnina masterpiece is to enter a world where every fold of fabric and every subtle gesture carries weight. He was not an artist preoccupied solely with grand, sweeping movements; rather, he found the divine in the minute. His technique was characterized by a remarkable attention to texture and nuance, a hallmark that would define the Venetian Renaissance style. In works such as Virgin with Child and Saints, one can witness his ability to weave together angelic figures and holy saints within a composition that feels both mathematically structured and emotionally fluid. He utilized color not just as a means of representation, but as a tool to convey the sanctity of his subjects.
His contributions to sacred spaces remain some of his most enduring legacies. The frescoes adorning the Basilica di San Frediano and the collections within the Museo di Bassano serve as windows into a lost era of craftsmanship. Starnina’s ability to render the Thebaid—the desert landscapes inhabited by hermits—demonstrates his skill in blending landscape with spiritual struggle, using light and shadow to evoke the isolation and piety of the saints. His work on the façades and interiors of religious institutions showcased a mastery of perspective that, while still rooted in Gothic tradition, pointed toward the revolutionary advancements of the coming centuries.
While the names of later Venetian giants like Titian or Tintoretto often dominate the historical discourse, the significance of Starnina cannot be overstated. He provided the essential foundation upon which the later masters built their triumphs. By integrating the emotional intensity of his Florentine training with the luminous, decorative richness of Venice, he helped create a new visual language for the Renaissance. His life’s work represents a period of transition, where the symbolic rigidity of the past was gracefully yielding to a more human-centric, observant way of seeing the world.
The enduring impact of Gherardo di Jacopo Starnina can be summarized through several key artistic contributions:
Today, when we study the works of Starnina, we are not merely looking at relics of the 15th century; we are witnessing the birth of a new way of perceiving the divine through the lens of human beauty and meticulous artistry.
