Madonna of the Thumb

This painting depicts the graceful face of the Madonna shrouded by a blue mantle. Tears from her downcast eyes roll down her cheek, while her thumb peeks discreetly from the garment's sleeve. The artist has skillfully imbued the work with a sense of texture, from the smooth, translucent skin of the Madonna to the lustrous material of her mantle. The Italian missionary Giovanni Battista Sidotti brought this painting to Japan during the era when Christianity was outlawed. Known as the Madonna of the Thumb, it closely resembles works by Carlo Dolci, a painter of religious works who was active in Florence, Italy, and who lived from 1616 to 1686. Sidotti was arrested on Yakushima island in 1708 and he subsequently passed away in the dungeons of the Kirishitan Yashiki, or House of Christians, a building located in Edo, as Tokyo was formerly known.

This work was seized by the Nagasaki Magistrate's Office and it remained hidden there for a long time, which may explain why it is in such a good condition. Though an oil painting on a copper plate, the small size suggests it was probably made for private worship. The painting takes on a different light when we consider the strong feelings that prompted Sidotti to bring it all the way to faraway Japan to hear his prayers. Japan's government implemented a policy of national isolation in the early 1600s. Despite this, an Italian missionary named Giovanni Sidotti entered the country illegally in 1708, bringing this painting of the Virgin Mary with him. The blue color of Mary's mantle represents her grief following the death of Jesus.

— Museum description: Tokyo National Museum (CC BY 4.0), via ColBase / Japan Search.