Madonna and Child with the Infant Saint John the Baptist
unknown (Florentine School)
Basic information
- ID
- Ж-123
- Author
- unknown (Florentine School)
- Name
- Madonna and Child with the Infant Saint John the Baptist
- Date of creation
- 2nd half of the 16th c.
- Country
- Italy
- Technique
- oil painting
- Material
- wood oil
- Dimensions (height x width, cm)
- 63.5 x 50
Additionally
- Type
- painting
- Genre
- religious
- Plot
- Madonna and Infant Christ with Saint John the Baptist
- Provenance
- Collection of Lviv City Gallery
Information about author
Object description
The development of Mannerist painting is closely associated with Florence. Jacopo Pontormo, Agnolo Bronzino, and Francesco Salviati were its greatest representatives there. The paintings of Michelangelo and Raphael had the most significant visual influence on the development of Florentine Mannerism. They became the basis and paradigm, determining the growth of the "maniera grande" aesthetic. With the growth of veneration of the Virgin Mary in the late Middle Ages, starting in the twelfth century, depictions of Madonna and Child gained popularity. They were suitable for public devotional images, such as frescoes or altarpieces, and those intended for private prayer. The sixteenth century saw significant iconographic changes in the depiction of Madonna and Child. The artists painted their images half-length, often complementing them by new characters like St. John and other saints or angels unrelated to canonical biblical texts. The landscape also had a special significance: it became part of the work's world, replacing the traditional gilded background. In the painting, Madonna is depicted with Child Jesus in her arms. To the right of Madonna, looking at her, little John the Baptist embraces Jesus. It was likely a private devotional image commissioned by a burgher. Aside from their religious purpose, such Madonna images also had an educational component. As known from Quattrocento sources, mainly the treatise of Bernardo De Dominici, they were advised for use in the interior of a home to instil Christian ideals in children.
Legal regulation
Borys Voznytskyi Lviv National Art Gallery
