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Master of the Clarisse (possibly Rinaldo da Siena), 'The Virgin and Child', about 1265-8

About the work

Overview

This small painting is one of the earliest in the National Gallery’s collection. It was probably made in Siena – it shares many features with Sienese painting of the period – but its combination of images is rare. It is possible that it’s based on a Byzantine (Eastern Christian) painting.

The Virgin and Child are shown in a tender pose that was popular in Byzantine icon painting. The other images narrate humanity’s salvation through the birth and death of Christ. So, just above the central image, we see the Angel Gabriel announcing to the Virgin Mary that she will give birth to the Son of God. Above this is a scene of Christ’s Crucifixion.

In the spaces on either side of this arched image are the believers (on the left) ascending to heaven and the damned (on the right) who, cowering, cannot enter heaven.

Key facts

Details

Full title
The Virgin and Child
Artist dates
documented 1274 - 1281
Date made
about 1265-8
Medium and support
egg tempera on wood
Dimensions
31.4 × 19.5 cm
Acquisition credit
Acquired with the assistance of the Art Fund (with a contribution from the Wolfson Foundation), 1998
Inventory number
NG6571
Location
Gallery F
Collection
Main Collection
Frame
13th-century Sienese Frame (original frame)

About this record

If you know more about this painting or have spotted an error, please contact us. Please note that exhibition histories are listed from 2009 onwards. Bibliographies may not be complete; more comprehensive information is available in the National Gallery Library.

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