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Lorenzo Veneziano, 'The Madonna of Humility with Saints Mark and John', about 1366-70

About the work

Overview

This panel is like a miniature altarpiece. The Virgin Mary and Christ Child occupy the central arch, with Saint Mark on the left and Saint John the Baptist on the right.

There is a Latin inscription in gold next to the Virgin, which means: ‘Holy Mary of Humility’. This title was often given to images in which Mary is shown seated on the ground. The brooch at her throat is in the shape of the sun, there is a crescent moon beneath her feet and 12 stars around her figure. These are the symbols of the so-called ‘Woman of the Apocalypse’ – a cosmic mother figure mentioned in the Book of Revelation and associated with the Virgin.

This painting was probably made for private worship. Saint Mark was the patron saint of Venice; the picture might have been made for a Venetian patron, perhaps someone named after Saint John the Baptist.

Key facts

Details

Full title
The Madonna of Humility with Saints Mark and John the Baptist
Artist dates
documented 1353 - 1379
Date made
about 1366-70
Medium and support
egg tempera on wood
Dimensions
31.3 × 57.5 cm
Inscription summary
Inscribed
Acquisition credit
Presented by Henry Wagner, 1924
Inventory number
NG3897
Location
Not on display
Collection
Main Collection
Frame
14th-century Italian 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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