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Recognising saints: golden balls

Three golden balls are often used to represent Saint Nicholas of Bari

The golden balls symbolise a dowry of three bags of gold Saint Nicholas of Bari gave to three girls. Their impoverished father was about to sell them into prostitution.

Saint Nicholas is better known to many of us as Santa Claus, or Father Christmas.

Attributed to Giovanni Battista Cima da Conegliano, The Virgin and Child with Saints, about 1513-18 

 

The Virgin and Child with Saints
Probably by Giovanni Battista Cima da Conegliano
about 1513-18
Painting
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Explore more images of Saint Nicholas in the collection

The Charity of St Nicholas of Bari
The Charity of St Nicholas of Bari
Girolamo Macchietti
Under cover of darkness, Saint Nicholas throws three golden balls through the window of the house of an impoverished nobleman. The saint’s act of charity, providing dowries for the daughters so they could marry, saved them from being sold into prostitution. Saint Nicholas’s feast day is celebrate...
Not on display
The Ansidei Madonna
The Ansidei Madonna
Raphael
This is the main panel of the altarpiece Raphael painted for the Ansidei family chapel in the Servite Church of S. Fiorenzo in Perugia in 1505.The Virgin sits in majesty on a carved wooden throne with the Christ Child on her lap. She draws his attention to a passage in the book on her knee. A str...
Room 11