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Notes
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The naked Christ lies on a marble parapet, probably intended to recall his dead body in the tomb – a reminder that, according to Christians, in adulthood he redeemed humanity through his death. This detail transforms the picture from a tender image of a mother and child to a religious one.
The painting is covered with an old varnish, probably dating from the nineteenth century, which has now discoloured, giving the whole picture a brown tone. Photomicrographs (very highly magnified images) show Bellini’s fingerprints in the Virgin’s cheek and Christ’s fingers – where he blotted areas of paint by hand, a technique he used in several other works.
Title
The Virgin and Child
Date
probably 1480-1500
Medium
Oil and tempera on wood
Measurements
H 78.7 x W 58.4 cm
Accession number
NG3913
Acquisition method
Mond Bequest, 1924
Work type
Painting
The National Gallery, London
Trafalgar Square, London, Greater London WC2N 5DN England
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