Artwork
The Healing of Anianus
The Healing of Anianus is a paint painting by the High Renaissance artist Giovanni Battista Cima da Conegliano. It dates from 1500 and is held in the collection of the Gemäldegalerie Berlin.
About this work
Overview
Giovanni Battista Cima da Conegliano created *The Healing of Anianus* in 1500. Executed in oil on panel, the work exemplifies the High Renaissance style of the Venetian school, noted for its calm composition and careful rendering of landscape elements. The painting is part of the collection of the Gemäldegalerie in Berlin.
Subject & Meaning
The scene shows a group of men gathered around a central figure in a blue robe who gently touches the eyes of a blind man, whose eyes are closed and hands raised in supplication. A domed building and a horse appear in the background, situating the miracle within an architectural setting that suggests a public or sacred space.
Technique & Style
Cima employs a balanced arrangement of figures and surroundings, integrating the figures into a detailed landscape that recedes through subtle shifts in color. His palette of blues, reds, and whites creates depth, while careful modeling of light and shadow produces a restrained chiaroscuro effect, enhancing the tranquil atmosphere.
History & Provenance
Active between roughly 1459 and 1517, Cima was a prolific painter of small‑scale devotional works intended for private devotion. *The Healing of Anianus* reflects his habit of revisiting familiar religious themes with modest variations. The painting entered the Gemäldegalerie Berlin’s holdings in the 20th century, where it remains on view.
Context
The composition shows the influence of Antonello da Messina, particularly in the harmonious integration of figures with a naturalistic setting. Cima’s work aligns with the Venetian emphasis on colour and atmospheric perspective, distinguishing it from the more linear approaches of contemporary Florentine artists.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Giovanni Battista Cima da Conegliano
Giovanni Battista Cima, also called Cima da Conegliano (c. 1459 – c. 1517), was an Italian Renaissance painter, who mostly worked in Venice. He can be considered part of the Venetian school, though he was also…
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