Artwork
The Virgin Adored by Saints
The Virgin Adored by Saints is an oil painting by the Early Baroque Italian artist Scarsellino. It dates from 1609 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The painting portrays the Virgin Mary enthroned and venerated by two saints: Anthony the Great at the left and Francis of Assisi at the right.
The painting portrays the Virgin Mary enthroned and venerated by two saints: Anthony the Great at the left and Francis of Assisi at the right. Anthony, identifiable by his monastic habit and tau staff, kneels in adoration, while the Virgin, seated, extends a gesture of blessing. Francis, similarly robed, appears in prayerful reverence, and a small white dog rests nearby, a motif often associated with fidelity.
The composition emphasizes the Virgin's intercessory role, with the saints positioned as devotees receiving her grace, reflecting Counter-Reformation ideals of Marian veneration and saintly intercession.
Technique & Style
The Virgin Adored by Saints is executed in oil on copper, a support associated with refined Italian painting of the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries. Copper's smooth, durable surface allowed for precise handling and luminous glazes, suited to the delicate modeling of drapery and flesh tones. The work's small scale (48.9 × 74.3 cm) reflects copper's suitability for intimate devotional images.
Stylistically, Scarsellino employs controlled draftsmanship combined with softly modulated light, aligning with the late Mannerist traditions of his native Ferrara. The figures are arranged in a shallow, stage-like space, their gestures and gazes directing attention toward the Virgin.
History & Provenance
The Virgin Adored by Saints is a religious painting executed by the Italian artist Scarsellino (Ippolito Scarsella) in 1609. It was created on a copper support in oil paint, a medium characteristic of the period's devotional objects, and measures approximately 48.9 cm in height by 74.3 cm in width. The painting depicts the Virgin Mary with Saint Anthony the Great, Saint Francis of Assisi, an angel, and a dog.
While the specific commission and original ownership prior to its museum acquisition are not detailed in the available records, the work's inception is firmly dated to 1609. It is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Overview
This painting, titled The Virgin Adored by Saints, is an oil on copper work depicting a scene of religious veneration. It shows a gathering of earthly figures on a rocky landscape, directing their gaze upwards towards a celestial vision. A woman holding an infant floats amidst swirling clouds, surrounded by winged cherubs, suggesting a divine apparition.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Scarsellino or Ippolito Scarsella (1550 (or 1551) – 28 October 1620) was an Italian mid-to-late sixteenth century reformist painter and one of the most important representatives of the School of Ferrara.
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