Artwork
Mary with the child and four saints
Mary with the child and four saints is a paint painting by the Early Renaissance artist Pietro degli Ingannati. It dates from 1507 and is held in the collection of the Gemäldegalerie Berlin.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1507, *Mary with the Child and Four Saints* is an oil painting attributed to the Italian Renaissance artist Pietro degli Ingannati. The composition presents the Virgin Mary cradling the infant Jesus, accompanied by four attendant figures. Executed in the early sixteenth‑century style, the work now belongs to the collection of the Gemäldegalerie in Berlin.
Subject & Meaning
The central focus is the Madonna holding the Christ Child, a conventional devotional theme that emphasizes maternal tenderness and divine incarnation. Flanking the pair are three male and one female saint, each identified by attributes—a cross, a leafy crown, and a small bell‑shaped object—suggesting intercessory roles and linking the holy family to the broader communion of saints.
Technique & Style
Ingannati employs a clear chiaroscuro scheme, illuminating the faces from the front while casting subtle shadows that model the forms in three dimensions. The figures are rendered in muted tones, with Mary’s dark dress and headscarf contrasting against the infant’s exposed feet. The handling of light and shadow creates a modest sense of volume characteristic of early Renaissance painting.
History & Provenance
Although the artist’s documented activity spans 1529‑1548, this early work predates that period, indicating an early phase in his career. The painting entered the Gemäldegalerie’s holdings in the twentieth century, where it has been catalogued as part of the museum’s collection of Italian Renaissance art.
Context
The work reflects the devotional practices of northern Italian churches, where images of the Virgin and saints served both liturgical and private prayer functions. The inclusion of identifiable saintly attributes aligns with contemporary iconographic conventions, allowing viewers to recognize and venerate each figure within a unified theological narrative.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Pietro degli Ingannati, also Pellegrino di Giovanni di Antonio, (active 1529–1548) was an Italian Renaissance painter who is known for his paintings of the Virgin and Child and his portraits.
