LIPPI, Fra Filippo
(b. 1406, Firenze, d. 1469, Spoleto)

Madonna with the Child and Scenes from the Life of St Anne (detail)

1452
Oil on panel
Galleria Palatina (Palazzo Pitti), Florence

On the left side of the painting, the birth of the Virgin is shown, with Anne in a bed, surrounded by women to look after her and the newborn, as well as bring gifts. This is a truthful portrayal of daily life for women in the wealthier classes of the 15th century.