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Date : 1490
Material : Tempera on canvas, Gold sheet
| Item 12 on 13
European Painting
Painting
Area related
Italy
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| Description |  |
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This signed and dated altarpiece was painted for a church near Bergamo, Italy, dedicated to the Madonna and Saint James Major, both of whom are shown in the central panels flanked by various saints. Vivarini employed gold backgrounds, hard edges, and intense colors to give his figures a sense of clarity and visual sharpness.
At the lower left, Saint John the Baptist stands in a rocky setting along the river Jordan. To his left stands Saint John the Evangelist. At the lower right, Saint Bartholomew holds a book and a knife, the symbol of his martyrdom, and an elderly Saint Peter holds the keys to the kingdom of heaven. In the central panel of the upper tier, the Virgin holds the Christ Child, who raises his right arm in blessing. At the top left, Saint Catherine of Alexandria holds a broken wheel, her symbol of martyrdom, and Saint Ursula clasps two rods with banners. On the Virgin's left, Saint Apollonia holds a book and a pincer with a tooth, referring to the instruments of her martyrdom, and Saint Lucy holds an oil lamp that alludes to the significance of her name, saint of light.
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