In medieval art, paintings were usually part of a larger work, for example, a mural painted on a church or monastery wall. During the thirteenth century, individual wood panels that illustrated church doctrine and scenes from the life of Christ began to appear in Florence, Siena, and other Italian towns. The central image of this panel, depicting the Madonna and Child, was among the last works by an artist known today as the Magdalene Master. The style of this image differs from the style of the 12 scenes of the Passion on either side, which were painted by an unknown Florentine artist.