Artwork
The Virgin and Child among angels in the clouds with Sts John the Baptist and Jerome, after Paolo Veronese’s painting formerly in S. Francesco della Vigna, Venice
The Virgin and Child among angels in the clouds with Sts John the Baptist and Jerome, after Paolo Veronese’s painting formerly in S. Francesco della Vigna, Venice is an unspecified painting by Unknown. It dates from 1550 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.
About this work
Overview
This early‑mid‑16th‑century drawing reproduces a composition originally painted by Paolo Veronese for the church of San Francesco della Vigna in Venice. Executed around 1550, the work is now part of the collection of the Museum of Ethnography and presents a devotional scene centered on the Virgin and Child surrounded by saints and angels.
Subject & Meaning
The image depicts the Virgin Mary holding the infant Christ, flanked by two diminutive angels. Below them, Saint John the Baptist kneels with a child, while Saint Jerome leans on a rock, staff in hand, suggesting his role as a learned hermit. The arrangement underscores intercessory themes common in Counter‑Reformation iconography.
Technique & Style
Rendered in loose, sketch‑like lines, the drawing shows a softer modeling of forms and a more subdued finish than Veronese’s original oil painting. The figures merge into a cloudy, rocky backdrop, creating a subtle chiaroscuro effect that emphasizes volume without the polished surface of the master’s work.
History & Provenance
Created as a copy after Veronese’s composition, the drawing likely served as a study or devotional aid. It entered the Museum of Ethnography’s holdings in the 20th century, though the precise path of ownership before that remains undocumented.
Context
During the mid‑1500s, reproductions of celebrated Venetian altarpieces were common for both pedagogical purposes and private devotion. This work reflects that practice, translating a large, luminous fresco into a more intimate, monochrome format suitable for personal contemplation.
Artist & collection
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The Virgin and Child with Saints
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The Virgin and Child in the Clouds with Six Saints