The Virgin and Child

Image credit: The National Gallery, London

How you can use this image

This image can be used for non-commercial research or private study purposes, and other UK exceptions to copyright permitted to users based in the United Kingdom under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised. Any other type of use will need to be cleared with the rights holder(s).

Review the copyright credit lines that are located underneath the image, as these indicate who manages the copyright (©) within the artwork, and the photographic rights within the image.

The collection that owns the artwork may have more information on their own website about permitted uses and image licensing options.

Review our guidance pages which explain how you can reuse images, how to credit an image and how to find images in the public domain or with a Creative Commons licence available.

Buy a print or image licence

You can purchase this reproduction

If you have any products in your basket we recommend that you complete your purchase from Art UK before you leave our site to avoid losing your purchases.

Notes

Add or edit a note on this artwork that only you can see. You can find notes again by going to the ‘Notes’ section of your account.

This small painting is one of the earliest in the National Gallery’s collection. It was probably made in Siena – it shares many features with Sienese painting of the period – but its combination of images is rare. It is possible that it’s based on a Byzantine (Eastern Christian) painting.

The Virgin and Child are shown in a tender pose that was popular in Byzantine icon painting. The other images narrate humanity’s salvation through the birth and death of Christ. So, just above the central image, we see the Angel Gabriel announcing to the Virgin Mary that she will give birth to the Son of God. Above this is a scene of Christ’s Crucifixion.

In the spaces on either side of this arched image are the believers (on the left) ascending to heaven and the damned (on the right) who, cowering, cannot enter heaven.

The National Gallery, London

London

Title

The Virgin and Child

Date

about 1265-75

Medium

Egg tempera on wood

Measurements

H 31.4 x W 19.4 cm

Accession number

NG6571

Acquisition method

Acquired with the assistance of The Art Fund (with a contribution from the Wolfson Foundation), 1998

Work type

Painting

Tags

See a tag that’s incorrect or offensive? Challenge it and notify Art UK.

Help improve Art UK. Tag artworks and verify existing tags by joining the Tagger community.

Normally on display at

The National Gallery, London

Trafalgar Square, London, Greater London WC2N 5DN England

This venue is open to the public. Not all artworks are on display. If you want to see a particular artwork, please contact the venue.
View venue