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Johann Rottenhammer, 'The Coronation of the Virgin', probably 1596-1606

About the work

Overview

This scene is set in heaven, and Rottenhammer has managed to convey its vast scale even in this small space: rows of angels, saints and prophets fill every inch of the painting, and the more distant figures are painted very faintly to create a feeling of expansiveness.

At the top, surrounded by a blaze of celestial light, the Virgin Mary is crowned Queen of Heaven by Christ and God the Father. Just below, Adam and Eve appear among other important figures from the Bible’s Old Testament. Sharing the honour of this upper echelon are the apostles Saint Peter, on the left with the keys to the kingdom of heaven, and Saint Paul, on the far right. The lowest rung is populated with saints and important clerics of the Catholic Church.

Rottenhammer probably made this picture for Cardinal Camillo Borghese, who became Pope Paul V in 1605. He is the bald, bearded figure gazing at the viewer at the lower right.

Key facts

Details

Full title
The Coronation of the Virgin
Artist dates
1564 - 1625
Date made
probably 1596-1606
Medium and support
oil on copper
Dimensions
92.7 × 63.5 cm
Acquisition credit
Bought, 1983
Inventory number
NG6481
Location
Room 26
Collection
Main Collection
Frame
18th-century English 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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