Artwork
Madonna Adoring the Sleeping Child
Madonna Adoring the Sleeping Child is a tempera painting by the Early Renaissance artist Giovanni Bellini. It dates from 1455 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Technique & Style
As a religious painting, its formal composition centers on the Madonna and Christ Child, specifically depicting the theme of sleep.
Giovanni Bellini's Madonna Adoring the Sleeping Child, created in 1455, is executed in tempera on a wooden panel support. The work measures 72.4 centimeters in height and 46.4 centimeters in width. As a religious painting, its formal composition centers on the Madonna and Christ Child, specifically depicting the theme of sleep.
The use of tempera on panel reflects the standard materials and handling techniques of mid-15th-century Italian religious art. The painting is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where its physical dimensions and medium remain consistent with its classification as a panel painting from the Quattrocento period.
History & Provenance
The painting Madonna Adoring the Sleeping Child, created by Giovanni Bellini around 1455, is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The work, executed in tempera on a panel measuring 72.4 cm in height and 46.4 cm in width, is part of the museum's permanent holdings of religious art. While the provided sources confirm its location and physical attributes within the Met's inventory, they do not specify a unique accession number or detail its exhibition history.
The artwork depicts the Madonna and Child, focusing on the sleeping Christ Child, and remains a significant piece in the museum's collection of Italian Renaissance religious paintings.
Overview
Giovanni Bellini's Madonna Adoring the Sleeping Child, painted in tempera around 1455, exemplifies early Venetian Renaissance art. This intimate work portrays the Virgin Mary in quiet contemplation of the slumbering Christ Child, a theme frequently explored by the artist. It showcases Bellini's developing sensitivity to human emotion and his foundational role in shaping the artistic direction of Venice. The painting is now part of The Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection.
Subject & Meaning
The painting presents a serene depiction of the Virgin Mary, dressed in a red robe and white cloak, with her hands clasped in a gesture of prayer or adoration. She gazes tenderly at the sleeping Christ Child, who rests on a white cloth with his small hands curled. This intimate scene emphasizes the profound bond between mother and child, conveying a sense of peace and devotion through its gentle composition and quiet contemplation.
Context
Giovanni Bellini emerged from a prominent family of painters and quickly became a pivotal figure in the Venetian Renaissance. This early work, created in 1455, reflects the foundational period of his career. He would later be instrumental in evolving Venetian artistic practices, particularly through his innovative approach to depicting light and his capacity to evoke deep emotional resonance, thereby setting new standards for the region's art.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Giovanni Bellini (Italian: ; Venetian: Zuane Belin; c. 1430 – 29 December 1516) was an Italian Renaissance painter, probably the best known of the Bellini family of Venetian painters. He was raised in the household of…
