Artwork
Madonna and Child with Saints
Madonna and Child with Saints is an oil painting by the Mannerist artist Lorenzo Lotto. It dates from 1534 and is held in the collection of the Uffizi Gallery.
About this work
Overview
Lorenzo Lotto’s oil on canvas, dated and signed 1534, presents a compact grouping of the Virgin and Child flanked by three saints. The composition is anchored by warm reds, oranges and blues, while the figures are set against a subdued dark backdrop that emphasizes their intimate proximity.
Subject & Meaning
Behind the mother, a woman in dark clothing with a white headscarf, Saint Anne, rests a hand on the Virgin’s shoulder, underscoring familial devotion.
At the centre, the Virgin cradles the infant Christ, her blue mantle contrasting with the surrounding figures. To the left, a bearded saint in orange leans forward, identified as Saint Jerome, while an older man in a red robe—Saint Joachim—holds a red orb. Behind the mother, a woman in dark clothing with a white headscarf, Saint Anne, rests a hand on the Virgin’s shoulder, underscoring familial devotion.
Technique & Style
Lotto employs chiaroscuro to model the forms, allowing light to fall gently on the faces and drapery while the background recedes into shadow. The palette’s warm tones are blended with soft gradations, creating a tactile sense of flesh and fabric that enhances the painting’s three‑dimensional presence.
History & Provenance
First documented in the Palazzo Pitti at the beginning of the 18th century, the work entered the Uffizi collection in Florence where it remains. Scholars suggest it derives from an earlier prototype now in the Seilern Collection, which replaces Saint Jerome with an open window framing a landscape.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Lorenzo Lotto (c. 1480 – 1556/57) was an Italian Renaissance painter, draughtsman, and illustrator, traditionally placed in the Venetian school, though much of his career was spent in other north Italian cities. He…
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