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Giovanni Battista Cima da Conegliano, 'The Virgin and Child', about 1499-1502

About the work

Overview

The Virgin and Child sit serenely in the sunlit landscape of northern Italy and gaze out at us placidly. She tenderly cradles his foot while he holds her girdle. Only the marble bench on which they sit hints at his future, in its echo of an altar table.

The painter, Cima da Conegliano, signed his name on the marble parapet at the front. This was one of his trademark compositions and was repeated in a number of other paintings by him and his workshop, including some in reverse. It is generally similar to two other paintings by him, both in the National Gallery’s collection and both given the same name: The Virgin and Child (NG300) and The Virgin and Child (NG364).

Key facts

Details

Full title
The Virgin and Child
Artist dates
about 1459/60 - about 1517/18
Date made
about 1499-1502
Medium and support
oil on wood
Dimensions
64.8 × 52.1 cm
Inscription summary
Signed
Acquisition credit
Salting Bequest, 1910
Inventory number
NG2506
Location
Not on display
Collection
Main Collection
Previous owners

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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