Year c. 1460s Created 1460 Period Early renaissance | Genre Christian art | |
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Type Various techniques on wood Dimensions 43.2 cm × 34.3 cm (17.0 in × 13.5 in) Subject Mary, Christ Child, Madonna Similar Antonello da Messina artwork, Early renaissance artwork, Christian art | ||
The Madonna with Child (Salting Madonna) is a painting by the Italian Renaissance master Antonello da Messina, depicting the Madona holding the Child and wearing an ornate golden crown, held by angels over her head. It is housed in the National Gallery, London. The name Salting derives from George Salting, the collector who donated it to the gallery in 1910.
Painting
The Salting Madonna shows a complex series of cultural references that in the past have led scholars to classify it variously as a Flemish, Spanish or even Russian work. It is one of Antonello's earlier works, dating most likely from the 1460s, when the artist was in Sicily. It portrays the Madonna adorned with a series of well-crafted and rendered details, such as the crown and the Venetian-style garments. The Madonna has the attributes of Mary, mother of Christ. The crown with two angels represents her also as the Queen of Heaven. The Child holds a pomegranate in his hands, which symbolize the Passion of Christ.
The abstract beauty of the Madonna's face derives from the style of contemporary Provençal artists, especially Enguerrand Quarton.