Artwork
Roundel with Saint Basil the Great with a Donor
Roundel with Saint Basil the Great with a Donor is an unspecified painting. It dates from 1515 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
History & Provenance
The Roundel with Saint Basil the Great with a Donor is an anonymous religious painting created in 1515.
The Roundel with Saint Basil the Great with a Donor is an anonymous religious painting created in 1515. The work depicts Saint Basil of Caesarea and includes a donor figure within the composition. It is housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, where it belongs to the museum's collection of European paintings; the specific inventory or accession number is not recorded in the available documentation.
No details regarding the original commission, the identity of the patron, or the chain of ownership prior to its arrival at the museum are provided, and no exhibition history is documented in the sources consulted.
Overview
This painting, titled "Roundel with Saint Basil the Great with a Donor," depicts a prominent religious figure alongside a smaller individual. Rendered in a circular format, known as a roundel, the artwork presents Saint Basil, identifiable by his ecclesiastical attire, in the company of a donor. The composition suggests a devotional context, highlighting the saint's spiritual authority and the donor's piety.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure is Saint Basil the Great, portrayed in elaborate robes and a golden hat, holding a tall staff and a book, symbols often associated with ecclesiastical authority and scholarly wisdom. Beside him, a smaller person, dressed in more modest attire, gazes downwards in a gesture of humility. This smaller figure represents the donor, who commissioned or contributed to the artwork, seeking spiritual intercession or demonstrating devotion through the portrayal with the revered saint.
Technique & Style
Behind the two figures, a distinctive yellow shield bearing a black cross and additional symbols is prominently displayed. The background landscape features a grassy hill, upon which two trees stand: one appears barren, while the other is adorned with golden leaves. These elements contribute to the painting's narrative, potentially adding symbolic depth to the religious encounter between the saint and the donor within this specific setting.
Artist & collection
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