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Notes
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Mary Magdalene raises up a small pot, a reminder of the spices she used to anoint Christ’s body after his death. The Virgin’s solemn expression as she rests her head against that of her child is one of maternal tenderness, but also an indication of her grief to come. Along with John the Baptist’s cross and Mary Magdalene’s ointment, it is a reminder of the fate of the infant on her lap: his crucifixion and death.
We do not know which church this altarpiece was made for. It is painted on canvas, so Mantegna could have painted it in his studio in Mantua, rolled it up and sent it to wherever it was required.
Title
The Virgin and Child with the Magdalen and Saint John the Baptist
Date
probably 1490-1505
Medium
Tempera on canvas
Measurements
H 139.1 x W 116.8 cm
Accession number
NG274
Acquisition method
Bought, 1855
Work type
Painting
The National Gallery, London
Trafalgar Square, London, Greater London WC2N 5DN England
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