Artwork
Pietà with Madonna and St. John the Evangelist
Pietà with Madonna and St. John the Evangelist is a tempera painting by the Early Renaissance artist Giovanni Bellini. It dates from 1455 and is held in the collection of the Accademia Carrara.
About this work
This painting is called Pietà with Madonna and St. John the Evangelist. It's a work by Giovanni Bellini.
The painting is dated to around 1455, making it one of Bellini's earliest independent works. It draws on Byzantine icons and portraits of the Passion, which were common in Venice.
You can learn more about the artist who created this work, Giovanni Bellini.
Overview
Giovanni Bellini’s tempera panel, titled Pietà with Madonna and St. John the Evangelist, dates to circa 1455 and is held by the Accademia Carrara in Bergamo. It presents the dead Christ supported by the Virgin Mary and Saint John, a composition that marks one of Bellini’s first autonomous paintings.
Subject & Meaning
The work follows the Byzantine tradition of the imago pietatis, depicting the lifeless Christ as a focal point for meditation on his wounds. The inclusion of the Virgin and John underscores the emotional intimacy of the Passion, inviting viewers to share in the sorrow of the moment.
Technique & Style
Executed in tempera on wood, the painting reflects the influence of Venetian iconography, especially the stylised crossed arms of Christ derived from a celebrated Roman mosaic in Santa Croce in Gerusalemme. Bellini’s early handling of colour and form hints at the transition from medieval to Renaissance aesthetics.
History & Provenance
Originally created in the mid‑15th century, the panel later entered the collection of the Accademia Carrara. Its early dating places it among Bellini’s initial forays into independent composition, serving as a prototype for his subsequent series of Pietà scenes.
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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…
