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Bernardo Daddi, 'The Coronation of the Virgin', about 1340-5

About the work

Overview

The coronation of the Virgin was a very popular subject in Florentine painting. Inspiration for the images came not from the Bible but from legends recounting the Virgin’s glorious reception into heaven by Christ, where she took her place by his side.

Daddi and his large workshop of assistants painted several versions of the coronation. This one reflects a work by Giotto, both in the bulkiness of the figures and the Virgin’s crossed arms. This gesture of humility was more often found in images of the Annunciation.

It remains unclear whether this panel formed the centre of a large altarpiece but we do know that it was cut down and altered. A painting now in Christ Church Picture Gallery, Oxford, showing four angels playing musical instruments with saints, formed the lowest part of the picture. The remnants of the saints’ haloes were once visible here, but they were painted over some time before it entered the National Gallery’s collection.

Key facts

Details

Full title
The Coronation of the Virgin
Artist dates
active 1312/20; died 1348
Date made
about 1340-5
Medium and support
egg tempera on wood
Dimensions
111.7 × 75.5 cm
Acquisition credit
Bought with a grant from the American Friends of the National Gallery, London, made possible by Sir Paul Getty's endowment, 2004
Inventory number
NG6599
Location
Not on display
Collection
Main Collection
Frame
20th-century Replica 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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