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Quinten Massys, 'The Virgin and Child Enthroned, with Four Angels', about 1506-9

About the work

Overview

This paintings shows the Virgin as Queen of Heaven: she sits on a gilded throne and two angels hover above her, about to place an extraordinarily delicate crown on her head. The throne is decorated with red and green enamel or glass, and rests on the dais of a small Gothic church. The infant Christ, a string of coral beads around his neck, plays with the book held by his mother, pulling on the red book mark. The pair are serenaded by angels who stand to either side of the throne playing a lute and a harp.

The luxurious carpet beneath the Virgin’s feet – an item of very great value in northern Europe in the sixteenth century – is probably based on a real rug. Look closely and you can see how the artist has suggested its texture: the pattern is rendered in darker colours, with small dots modelled in lighter hues to indicate the texture of the knots.

Key facts

Details

Full title
The Virgin and Child Enthroned, with Four Angels
Artist dates
1465/6 - 1530
Date made
about 1506-9
Medium and support
oil on wood
Dimensions
62.3 × 43.5 cm
Acquisition credit
Bequeathed by C. W. Dyson Perrins, 1958
Inventory number
NG6282
Location
Not on display
Collection
Main Collection
Frame
21st-century Replica Frame

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 National Gallery Library.

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