Workshop of Bernardino Luini, 'The Virgin and Child', early 16th century
About the work
Overview
The Christ Child stands on a stone parapet leaning against his mother, who turns to meet his gaze. He wraps one arm tenderly about her neck as she holds him gently around his waist in a very natural pose. In his other hand he holds an apple, a symbol of the Fall of humankind that he will redeem by his Crucifixion. The little green book held by the Virgin is probably the Old Testament, which foretells Christ’s future sacrifice – she is marking her page with her thumb. The young Virgin’s foreknowledge of Christ’s destiny adds deep poignancy to the look exchanged between mother and son.
The painting has sometimes been accepted as an original work by Luini, but it was probably made by his workshop or may even be an early copy.
Key facts
Details
- Full title
- The Virgin and Child
- Artist
- Workshop of Bernardino Luini
- Artist dates
- about 1480 - 1532
- Date made
- early 16th century
- Medium and support
- oil on wood
- Dimensions
- 48.9 × 43.8 cm
- Acquisition credit
- Layard Bequest, 1916
- Inventory number
- NG3090
- Location
- Not on display
- Collection
- Main Collection
- Previous owners
Provenance
Additional information
Text extracted from the ‘Provenance’ section of the catalogue entry in Martin Davies, ‘ÁùºÏ²ÊÔ¤²â Catalogues: The Earlier Italian Schools’, London 1986; for further information, see the full catalogue entry.
Bibliography
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1870Royal Academy of Arts, Exhibition of the Works of the Old Masters, associated with a Collection from the Works of Charles Robert Leslie, R.A., and C. Phillip Clarkson, R.A., London, Royal Academy (exh. cat. Royal Academy of Arts, 1870), London 1870
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1895G. Lafenestre and E. Richtenberger, 'Collection de Sir Austen Layard', in Venise, Paris 1895, pp. 303-12
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1896G. Frizzoni, 'La Galerie Layard', Gazette des beaux-arts, II, 1896, pp. 455-76
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1899G.C. Williamson, Bernardino Luini, London 1899
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1911L. Beltrami, Luini 1512-1532: Materiale di studio, Milan 1911
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1912A. Venturi, 'La formazione della Galleria Layard a Venezia', L'arte, XV, 1912, pp. 449-62
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1913F. Malaguzzi Valeri, 'Nuovi dipinti del Luini e una recente pubblicazione', Rassegna d'arte, XIII, 1913, pp. 27-35
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1951Davies, Martin, ÁùºÏ²ÊÔ¤²â Catalogues: The Earlier Italian Schools, London 1951
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1956A. Ottino della Chiesa, Bernardino Luini, Novara 1956
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1961M. Davies, The Earlier Italian Schools, 2nd edn, London 1961
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1986Davies, Martin, ÁùºÏ²ÊÔ¤²â Catalogues: The Earlier Italian Schools, revised edn, London 1986
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1987J. Anderson, 'Layard and Morelli', in F.M. Fales and B.J. Hickeys (eds), Austen Henry Layard tra l'Oriente e Venezia, Rome 1987, pp. 109-37
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1993M. Lennon, 'Morelli and the Layard Collection: Influence as Intellectual Exchange', in G. Agosti (ed.), Giovanni Morelli e la Cultura dei Conoscitori: Atti del Convegno Internazionale, June 1987, Bergamo 1993, pp. 242-52
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1998L. Mazzucchelli, 'Opere d'arte lombarda della collezione Austen Henry Layard alla ÁùºÏ²ÊÔ¤²â di Londra', Arte lombarda, CXXII, 1998, pp. 91-7
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2001
C. Baker and T. Henry, ÁùºÏ²ÊÔ¤²â: Complete Illustrated Catalogue, London 2001
About this record
If you know more about this painting or have spotted an error, please contact us. Please note that exhibition histories are listed from 2009 onwards. Bibliographies may not be complete; more comprehensive information is available in the ÁùºÏ²ÊÔ¤²â Library.
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