Workshop of Andrea Solario, 'The Virgin and Child', early 16th century
About the work
Overview
The infant Christ embraces the Virgin in a pose that very closely resembles – and is probably based on the design for – that in Raphael’s so-called ‘Mackintosh Madonna’, which is also in the National Gallery’s collection. This picture may have been made in Solario’s workshop, or might be a copy of one of his works. Paintings by Solario himself are of a higher quality, though the landscape background – a broad valley leading to distant snowy mountains, here framed by a square stone opening – is characteristic of his work.
On the right, in the wooded part of the countryside, two men greet each other politely as their paths cross; one has been riding, the other walking with his dog. Further down, near the bottom ledge, we see a single white lily, a symbol of the Virgin’s purity.
Key facts
Details
- Full title
- The Virgin and Child
- Artist
- Workshop of Andrea Solario
- Artist dates
- about 1465 - 1524
- Date made
- early 16th century
- Medium and support
- oil on wood
- Dimensions
- 61 × 46.4 cm
- Acquisition credit
- Salting Bequest, 1910
- Inventory number
- NG2504
- Location
- Not on display
- Collection
- Main Collection
- Previous owners
Provenance
Additional information
Text extracted from the ‘Provenance’ section of the catalogue entry in Martin Davies, ‘National Gallery Catalogues: The Earlier Italian Schools’, London 1986; for further information, see the full catalogue entry.
Bibliography
-
1951Davies, Martin, National Gallery Catalogues: The Earlier Italian Schools, London 1951
-
1986Davies, Martin, National Gallery Catalogues: The Earlier Italian Schools, revised edn, London 1986
-
2001
C. Baker and T. Henry, The National Gallery: Complete Illustrated Catalogue, London 2001
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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