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The Virgin's House

The Virgin's House and other Architectural Narratives in Renaissance Marian Painting

A collaboration with the University of York, this project investigates the fictive architecture that surrounds and encases the Virgin Mary in Italian Renaissance paintings.

It will clarify the ways in which large-scale three-dimensional architecture is compressed and encountered in two-dimensional painting and relief sculpture, as well as furthering understanding of the cult of the Virgin's House in the context of the study of sacred representation and visualisation.

The project is supervised by Dr Amanda Lillie of the Department of History of Art at the University of York and by Dr Caroline Campbell at the National Gallery.

Outcomes of the studentship

The doctoral student will work at the Gallery for regular periods during their three-year projects. The Gallery’s public will benefit from this collaborative projects through talks, exhibitions and website features.

About the Collaborative Doctoral Awards

The National Gallery offers a small number of Collaborative Doctoral Awards, funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and run in partnership with higher education institutions. These studentships focus on specific themes relevant to the Gallery's collection and wider research themes.

Image above: Detail from Duccio, The Annunciation, 1307/8-11