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Virgin and Child with Saints and Donors

Giovanni Battista Cima da Conegliano

1515

unspecified

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art

High Renaissance Renaissance Renaissance Religious

Dominant colour

Virgin and Child with Saints and Donors is a 1515 unspecified by Giovanni Battista Cima da Conegliano, a High Renaissance work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.

Who painted this?: Giovanni Battista Cima da Conegliano
When & what style?: 1515 · High Renaissance
Where can I see it?: Cleveland Museum of Art

About this work

A woman in a red robe holds a baby while saints and two kneeling men stand around them in a quiet garden. The sky is soft blue, and the trees look real enough to touch. This painting was made for private prayer, so the people in it feel close, like family. The artist put the donors—rich people who paid for the painting—right in the scene, not off to the side. That was new at the time. To see how other artists painted the same subject, look up *subject: italy, venice*.

The story of this work

Overview

This work reinterprets the most common subject in Renaissance art—the Madonna and Child. The tender relationship of mother and son spoke to Mary’s role as intercessor for humanity, sparked an empathetic relationship with Christ, and helped invest Christian practice with tenderness and compassion. Works at this scale were usually for private devotion, but distinct styles and refined craftsmanship were also appreciated for their artistry and creativity. Here the donors occupy the same landscape as the holy figures, emphasizing how Mary’s compassion extends into our world. This painting was…

Did you know?

The two figures who kneel with their hands clasped are likely the donors who commissioned this painting.

Read the full account in the museum source.

About the artist

Artist

Giovanni Battista Cima da Conegliano

Giovanni Battista Cima, also called Cima da Conegliano (c. 1459 – c. 1517), was an Italian Renaissance painter, who mostly worked in Venice. He can be considered part of the Venetian school, though he was also…

See the richer artist page