Who painted Coronation of the Virgin?

Coronation of the Virgin was painted by Italian 19th Century in 1800.

Where can I see Coronation of the Virgin?

Coronation of the Virgin is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Coronation of the Virgin?

Coronation of the Virgin is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

Coronation of the Virgin

Italian 19th Century , 1800

Coronation of the Virgin is a print by the Romanticist artist Italian 19th Century. It dates from 1800 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

This niello print depicts a solemn, shadow-drenched scene of the Coronation of the Virgin, featuring a central seated figure, a bearded benevolent figure beside her, and surrounding haloed attendants, all set against a dark background that accentuates the figures through strategic lighting.

Subject & Meaning

The print illustrates a pivotal Christian moment: the Coronation of the Virgin Mary. The bearded man, likely Christ or God the Father, blesses Mary, while surrounding saints or angels, identified by halos and symbolic objects (books, scrolls), pay reverence, underscoring themes of divine honor and religious devotion.

Technique & Style

Employing niello, a technique involving incised lines filled with a black sulfide alloy, the print achieves deep, dark tones. The use of chiaroscuro, with light concentrated on faces and hands, creates a sense of drama and directs the viewer’s attention to the emotional and gestural core of the scene.

Context

The piece reflects the artistic and religious sensibilities of its time, where the contrast between light and dark (chiaroscuro) was increasingly used to evoke emotional depth in religious subjects, a hallmark of late medieval to early Renaissance European art.

Legacy

As a niello print, it contributes to the history of printmaking techniques, while its subject and stylistic use of chiaroscuro place it within the broader tradition of European religious art, influencing subsequent depictions of sacred scenes through its effective use of light and shadow.