Artwork
Madonna and Child with Saints Francis and Clare
Madonna and Child with Saints Francis and Clare is an oil painting by the Venetian Renaissance artist Giovanni Battista Cima da Conegliano. It dates from 1510 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The painting shows the Virgin Mary holding the infant Christ, flanked on the left by Saint Francis of Assisi and on the right by Saint Clare, in a composition typical of the sacra conversazione format. In this early‑16th‑century Venetian work the Child reaches forward to present a small cross to Saint Francis, while Saint Clare is depicted turned toward the viewer; a hermitage appears on a hill behind them, referencing the Franciscan hermit tradition. The arrangement reflects both the devotional focus on Franciscan saints and the stylistic conventions of Renaissance religious painting, as documented in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s catalogue entries.
Technique & Style
It belongs to the sacra conversazione genre, with the Madonna and Child placed centrally, Saint Francis to the left and Saint Clare to the right.
The painting is executed in oil paint on a wooden panel, measuring 20.3 cm × 26.7 cm. It belongs to the sacra conversazione genre, with the Madonna and Child placed centrally, Saint Francis to the left and Saint Clare to the right. Behind them rises a hermitage on a hill, and the lower frame bears the inscription “Ioannes Bellinus faciebat.” The sources describe the medium, support, dimensions, and compositional details, but they do not provide information on the artist’s handling technique or the current condition of the work.
History & Provenance
Attributed to Giovanni Battista Cima da Conegliano, this oil-on-panel work depicts a sacra conversazione with the Virgin, Child, Francis, and Clare. Scholarly dating for the piece varies significantly across sources. While some records assign an inception date of 1510, others place its creation earlier, between 1492 and 1495.
The painting measures approximately 20.3 by 26.7 centimeters. It is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Although one source notes an inscription reading "Ioannes Bellinus faciebat" on the lower frame, the work is consistently classified under Cima's oeuvre.
No specific details regarding the original commission, intermediate owners, or the full chain of custody prior to its museum acquisition are provided in the available records.
The painting is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Its accession number is 1975.1.55. The work has been included in multiple institutional presentations, including a dedicated page on the museum’s official website.
It has also been featured in the Google Arts & Culture initiative, which provides online access to high-resolution images and contextual materials.
Overview
Cima da Conegliano's Madonna and Child with Saints Francis and Clare, an oil painting from approximately 1492–1495, depicts a sacred grouping. This Italian Renaissance work, executed on panel, is currently housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. It presents a devotional scene typical of the period, featuring key religious figures in a serene composition that exemplifies the artist's refined style.
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Artist & collection
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…
