The sacra conversazione, or "sacred conversation," was a common theme in Gothic Medieval and early Italian Renaissance art. It was a depiction of the Virgin and the baby Jesus in one scene, while angels stood watch in another scene (by scene I mean another, clearly delineated space in the painting). Often, colors were muted, or the characters in the painting appeared without unique facial expressions. Some famous works with the sacra conversazione theme are:

• Maesta, Duccio de Buoninsegna (c. 1255-1318)
• Santa Trinita Madonna, Cimabue, (c. 1240-1302)
• Barbadori altarpiece (1437) in Santo Spirito, Florence, Fra Filippo Lippi (c.1406-1469). This piece is interesting because it allows the angels to enter the space reserved for the Mother and Child, slightly breaking the rule of the theme.