Madonna and Child Enthroned with Saints

The work was created circa 1496 as an oil painting on panel by Giovanni Battista Cima da Conegliano, originally commissioned for private devotion and later entering the collection of Edward Solly, whose holdings formed the core of the Gemäldegalerie Berlin's early acquisitions. It was acquired by the Gemäldegalerie Berlin in the early 19th century, where it remains on display today.

The painting is documented in multiple sources as having been produced between 1495 and 1497 in Venice, with its creation date often cited as 1504 in later scholarly references. It was originally part of the Solly collection, which was sold to the Prussian state and incorporated into the Gemäldegalerie's holdings. The work has been part of the museum's permanent exhibition since its acquisition, forming a key example of Venetian Renaissance sacra conversazione.

The composition features the Virgin and Child enthroned among saints Peter, Romuald, Benedict of Nursia, and Paul, rendered in oil on panel with a rounded upper edge and a shallow, trompe-l'oeil inscription bearing the artist's signature. The painting measures 206 by 135 centimeters and is executed in oil on poplar wood, with a later-added gilded frame. It has undergone conservation treatment, though specific details of restoration are not widely documented.

The painting is held in the Gemäldegalerie in Berlin, part of the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin. It is currently displayed in the museum's permanent collection. The work was part of the renowned Solly collection before entering the state holdings; it is historically associated with the collector Edward Solly.

While specific accession numbers are not provided in the sources, the painting's provenance traces back to this significant private assembly. Regarding exhibition history, the sources confirm its long-term presence in the Berlin gallery but do not list specific temporary exhibitions or loan records. The artwork remains a key component of the museum's holdings of Venetian Renaissance art.

The painting has been recognized as an early example of sacra conversazione that shaped later Venetian altarpieces. Its compositional innovations, particularly the use of perspective and the trompe-l'oeil inscription, influenced Giovanni Bellini and subsequent Venetian painters such as Lorenzo Lotto. The work entered the collection of Edward Solly in the early 19th century, forming a core part of the Berlin Gemäldegalerie's holdings and later became a reference point for studies of Venetian Renaissance art.

Scholars have highlighted its role in the development of narrative altarpieces and its impact on the visual language of sacred imagery in the 16th century.

The attribution to Giovanni Battista Cima da Conegliano was solidified through comparative analysis with other works, including documented altarpieces in Murano and Berlin, and the painting's stylistic parallels to Giovanni Bellini's workshop. Contemporary scholarship, such as Catarina Schmidt Arcangeli's 2015 study, emphasizes the painting's significance within the Berlin collection and its contribution to the understanding of Venetian religious art. The work remains a key piece in the Gemäldegalerie's display of early Renaissance masterpieces.

Created in 1504, this oil painting on panel depicts the Virgin Mary seated with the infant Jesus, flanked by four saints. The work is attributed to the Venetian painter Cima da Conegliano and is presently housed in the Gemäldegalerie in Berlin. The composition presents the holy figures in a linear arrangement, emphasizing their hierarchical relationship.

Cima da Conegliano worked in the Veneto region during a period when Venetian artists were refining oil techniques to enhance color depth and atmospheric effects. This painting reflects the era’s emphasis on harmonious composition and the integration of saints into a unified devotional tableau, aligning with contemporary liturgical practices and the patronage of monastic orders.