Artwork
Madonna and Child
Madonna and Child is a tempera painting by the Early Renaissance artist Jacopo Bellini. It dates from 1440 and is held in the collection of the Accademia Carrara.
About this work
Overview
Madonna and Child is a tempera painting created by Jacopo Bellini around 1440. It is an early Renaissance work by a key figure in the development of Venetian and northern Italian painting.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts the Virgin Mary holding the Christ Child, accompanied by a bird. The figures are set against a dark blue background, with gold halos around their heads, conveying a sense of serenity and devotion.
Technique & Style
The use of tempera contributes to the painting's delicate and subtle quality. Bellini's work is characterized by attention to detail, as seen in the Madonna's pink robe and white head covering, and the naked Christ Child.
History & Provenance
Jacopo Bellini was a pioneering Renaissance painter, though few of his paintings remain. His surviving sketchbooks, held in the British Museum and the Louvre, demonstrate his interest in landscape and architectural detail.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Jacopo Bellini (c. 1400 – c. 1470) was one of the founders of the Renaissance style of painting in Venice and northern Italy. His sons Gentile and Giovanni Bellini, and his son-in-law Andrea Mantegna, were also famous…
