A devotional work that shows the Virgin against a delicate gold background. A window sill inscribed with the signature and a fragment of the mantle establish a realist caesura with the gaze of the viewer-worshipper. For this work, destined for private contemplation in a domestic setting, Master Bartolomé made use of a technical refinement that differs from his characteristically stark expre
The famous Flemish painter is portrayed almost full-length, sitting in a chair and wearing red robes and a fur coat. This landscape painter and contemporary of Van Dyck had no left arm, which is clearly shown, rather than hidden, in this portrait. In keeping with the Northern tradition of portraiture established by Anthonis Mor (1519-1576) and Adriaen Willem Key (1515/1520 - 1568), Van Dyck places
The artist, a follower of Geertgen tot sins Jans (1445/65-1485/95), approached Passion subjects with intense drama. In order to achieve strong expressions, he does not hesitate to deliberately distort the faces of the figures. The Virgin, kneeling and supported by Saint John, shows her pain before the dead Christ who lies on the ground.
This is the left panel of the Altar Piece of the Pietà, Saint Michael and Saint Catherine from the church of Santa María in Ejea de los Caballeros (Zaragoza). The painter, originally from Pareja (Guadalajara) and active in Aragon, shows the archangel dressed in armour and a cloak, driving his lance into the head of the demon beneath his feet.Wearing armour and a cloak, the archangel
The painter of this work was a collaborator of the sculptor Gil de Siloe and was familiar with Northern art. John the Baptist, recognisable by his clothing and by the lamb on the book, has been painted with great care. The use of strong light to emphasise his bulk is influenced by Van Eyck. On a smaller scale, on the right, is the donor, a cistercian nun. The painting probably comes from a Cisterc
This is one of Bernat’s early works and is very similar to the work of Bermejo in the anatomy, colour and slim proportions of the figures in it -Saint John, the Magdalene, Longinus- as well as the little use of gold in the figures and in the scenery. The composition, a grandiose crucifixion which could have been completed in Bermejo’s workshop and with his help, is based on that of the altar piece
A bust of Christ, dressed in purple and with the holy halo. He appears as the Savior of Humanity over a dark background. This is a replica of a work by the same name signed by Giovanni Bellini (“IOANNES BELLINUS”), which dates from around 1495 and is now at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando in Madrid. A preparatory drawing for it is at the British Museum in London. The composition mus
During his ascetic retreat to the desert, Saint Antony was subjected to numerous temptations by the devil. On one occasion, the devil disguised himself as a seductive woman in order to draw him into the sin of lust. On another, the Egyptian monk was violently tormented by a group of demonic creatures, represented here with different shapes and colours, as often requested by clients.
The wound in Christ`s side was inflicted after his death (John 19:34). The two angels, blue and dressed in blue, are apparently cherubim. Saint John the Evangelist steps forward to support the weeping Virgin, who is kneeling and embracing the Cross. Her mouth is very close to the blood running from the wounds in Christ`s feet. The three women on the right are presumably the Three Maries: Mary Magd
The painting, which comes from the church of Santa María in Ejea de los Caballeros (Zaragoza), is made up of five panels. The central panel represents the Resurrection. On either side of it are scenes dedicated to Saint Michael (The Shooting of the Bull on Mount Gargano and The Apparition of Saint Michael to Saint Gregory in Castel Sant’Angelo), and to Saint Catherine (Debate with the Philo
Large-format versions of the Virgin holding the dead body of Christ, like those at Badajoz Cathedral and at the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando, gave way in Morales’s oeuvre to smaller compositions on the same subject, with half-length figures shown on a striking background of rigorous black. Against this, the two figures and the upright of the cross are contrasted with strong lighti
These panels (P02838, P02839, P02840), along with a fourth one in a private collection, illustrate the Story of Nastagio degli Onesti, the eighth novel of the fifth day of Boccaccio´s Decameron. This is the story of Nastagio, a young man from Ravenna who was rejected by the daughter of Paolo Traversari and abandoned the city to settle on its outskirts. This first panel shows Nastagio taking leave
The Virgin Mary, with the Christ Child on her lap, is worshiped by the Catholic Kings, Isabel (1451-1504) and Fernando (1452-1516), two of their children, and others. On the right of the composition, accompanying the Queen, are Saint Dominic, one of the Queen´s daughters and a kneeling male figure without a halo. The sword on his chest implies martyrdom, and he has been associated with Pedro de Ar
This and five other panels at the Prado Museum (P06897, P06899, P06900, P06901, P06902), are some of the finest examples of the collaboration between Rodrigo and Francisco de Osona. They were probably designed as part of an altarpiece. The placement and physiognomy of the figures are in keeping with the style of this family of painters from Valencia. The diverse treatment of the paintings suggests
These panels (P02838, P02839, P02840), along with a fourth one in a private collection, illustrate the Story of Nastagio degli Onesti, the eighth novel of the fifth day of Boccaccio´s Decameron. This is the story of Nastagio, a young man from Ravenna who was rejected by the daughter of Paolo Traversari and abandoned the city to settle on its outskirts. In the second Panel, Nastagio runs away in fr
The Virgin holds the Christ Child in her arms, flanked by two saints in a Sacra Conversazione. The saint on the left has been identified as Mary Magdalene and the one on the right as either Saint Ursula, carrying the arrow of her martyrdom. Expect for the figure of the Child, the others are represented in three-quarters with green curtains in the background. This work belonged to the collection of
This painting is a slight variation of the central panel in the predella of the Don Álvaro de Luna Altar Piece which is in the Toledo cathedral (doc. 1488). Mary, helped by Saint John and Nicodemus, is in front of the cross holding her dead son. Joseph of Arimathea, Mary Magdalene and two Marys also show their sorrow. This painting is a pair with The Virgin of Milk (P-1289).