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A youthful Virgin Mary looks tenderly down at her son, the infant Christ Child, wriggling on her lap. Christ reaches out to embrace Saint John the Baptist, identifiable by the reed cross he holds. The composition of this painting is constructed along diagonals and the Virgin’s serene bearing contrasts sharply with Christ’s animated, twisting pose. This is a relatively late work by the Genoese painter Castello. The sense of movement within the picture is echoed by the flickering light and Castello’s characteristically lively handling of paint. The colouring is rich and intense – the vibrant red of the Virgin’s dress juxtaposed with the deep blue of her cloak – and Castello’s brushwork is spirited and free, especially in the white cloth on which Christ sits.
Title
The Virgin and Child with Saint John the Baptist
Date
about 1650
Medium
Oil on canvas
Measurements
H 99 x W 73.9 cm
Accession number
NG6625
Acquisition method
Presented by the Trustees of Sir Denis Mahon's Charitable Trust through the Art Fund, 2013
Work type
Painting
The National Gallery, London
Trafalgar Square, London, Greater London WC2N 5DN England
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