Full title | The Virgin |
---|---|
Artist | Workshop of Quinten Massys |
Artist dates | 1465/6 - 1530 |
Group | Diptych: Christ and the Virgin |
Date made | about 1510-25 |
Medium and support | Oil on oak |
Dimensions | 60.3 × 34.7 cm |
Acquisition credit | Bought, 1857 |
Inventory number | NG295.2 |
Location | Not on display |
Collection | Main Collection |
The Virgin Mary gazes to her right, her hands folded in prayer. She is richly dressed: her mantle is edged with delicate gold embroidery dotted with pearls, and her blue underdress is lined with brown fur. On her head is a circlet of three strands of pearls held with a jewelled catch, and a transparent veil woven of very fine threads.
This panel goes with another, showing showing Christ as the Salvator Mundi (‘Saviour of the World’), which is also in the National Gallery’s collection.
The Virgin Mary gazes to her right, her hands folded in prayer. She is richly dressed: her mantle is edged with delicate gold embroidery dotted with pearls, and her blue underdress is lined with brown fur. On her head is a circlet of three strands of pearls held with a jewelled catch, and a transparent veil woven of very fine threads.
This is the right wing of a small diptych; Christ is the left wing. It was not originally painted to go with Christ, but was adapted very early on – it was perhaps part of Massys‘ stock and was cut down to match the other panel while still in the workshop.
The Virgin here is more composed than she appears in the very popular diptychs that showed her as the Mater Dolorosa facing Christ as the ’Man of Sorrows', produced in the workshops of Dirk Bouts and Albrecht Bouts. She is more in the tradition of the Virgin in Hubert and Jan van Eyck’s Ghent Altarpiece (St Bavo’s Cathedral, Ghent) and its imitators.
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Diptych: Christ and the Virgin
This composition of Christ as the Salvator Mundi (‘Saviour of the World’) adored by his mother, the Virgin Mary, was very popular in the early sixteenth century. These are workshop copies of originals painted by Quinten Massys towards the beginning of his career. His workshop then continued to produce further versions over a long period.
These panels were painted by Massys‘ two main associates, one working on each; some less important areas were delegated to assistants, who perhaps worked on both. Although the panels have always been regarded as a diptych (a painting made of two parts) they were not actually made to go together. The Virgin probably came from the stock in Massys’ workshop and was cut down to be paired with the painting of Christ.
This composition of Christ as the Salvator Mundi (‘Saviour of the World’) adored by his mother, the Virgin Mary, was very popular in the early sixteenth century. These are workshop copies of originals painted by Quinten Massys towards the beginning of his career.
Christ and The Virgin were evidently painted by assistants who were skilled practitioners of Massys‘ style. His workshop continued to produce further versions over a long period, as did other artists, such as Joos van Cleve. Although these two panels have always been regarded as a diptych, they were not actually made to go together. Their supports differ in many ways, and the panel showing the Virgin has been cut down while that showing Christ retains its unpainted edges. The Virgin probably came from the stock in Massys’ workshop and was cut down to be paired with the painting of Christ. They were probably painted between approximately 1510 and 1525.
The gilding is modern. Small areas of the original background are visible to the left of the Virgin’s right eye and under her hair: it is gilded and ornamented with dots of red lake pigment.


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