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Virgin and Child Adored by Saints Mary Magdalene and Nicolas of Bari; Christ Crucified with the Virgin and Saint John the Evangelist

Sano di Pietro

1404

unspecified

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art

Italo Byzantine Renaissance Renaissance Religious Siena

Dominant colour

Virgin and Child Adored by Saints Mary Magdalene and Nicolas of Bari; Christ Crucified with the Virgin and Saint John the Evangelist is a 1404 unspecified by Sano di Pietro, a Italo Byzantine work, depicting Siena, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.

Who painted this?: Sano di Pietro
When & what style?: 1404 · Italo Byzantine
Where can I see it?: Cleveland Museum of Art

About this work

The painting shows the Virgin and Child with saints and a scene of Christ crucified. The artist used a unique technique to prepare the panel, covering it with gesso to resemble porphyry, a valuable stone. This adds a textured look to the painting. To learn more about similar artwork, visit the museum where this piece is held, The Cleveland Museum of Art.

The story of this work

Overview

The artist covered the sides and reverse of this panel with a thin layer of gesso (a type of plaster), allowing the texture of the rough wood to remain visible. He then painted it to resemble porphyry, a beautiful and valuable stone.

Read the full account in the museum source.