Artwork
The Virgin Mary and Five Standing Saints above Predella Panels
The Virgin Mary and Five Standing Saints above Predella Panels is an unspecified painting. It dates from 1440 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This stained-glass panel presents a devotional scene centered on the Virgin Mary.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The imagery aligns with traditional iconographic programs where the Virgin is honored as the Queen of Heaven, surrounded by the company of saints.
The work presents a religious composition centered on the Virgin Mary, flanked by five standing saints and an angel. Created in 1440, the painting functions as a devotional image typical of the genre, depicting these holy figures in a formal arrangement. While the specific identities of the five saints are not detailed in available records, their presence with the central female figure and the angel reinforces the piece's role as a sacred representation intended for veneration.
The imagery aligns with traditional iconographic programs where the Virgin is honored as the Queen of Heaven, surrounded by the company of saints.
History & Provenance
The altarpiece known as The Virgin Mary and Five Standing Saints above Predella Panels was created in 1440. The work is attributed to an anonymous artist and is classified as a religious painting. It currently resides in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, catalogued under accession number 37.52.6.
Physical dimensions recorded for the work include a height of 337.2 centimetres and a width of 71.8 centimetres. No specific details regarding the original commission, the identity of the patron, or the chain of ownership prior to the museum's acquisition are documented in available sources.
Overview
This stained-glass panel presents a devotional scene centered on the Virgin Mary. She is depicted holding the Christ Child, positioned beneath a row of five standing saints. Below the main composition, two kneeling winged figures flank a radiant star, forming a predella-like arrangement.
The artwork employs a vibrant palette, now softened by time, featuring prominent blues, reds, and whites, characteristic of its medium.
Technique & Style
Crafted from numerous small pieces of colored glass, the panel exhibits the distinctive mosaic-like quality inherent to stained-glass artistry. The composition is defined by strong outlines and intricate patterns, creating decorative borders and details throughout. While the original hues were undoubtedly brilliant, the passage of time has imparted a gentle fading to the blues, reds, and whites, lending the piece a softened visual texture.
Artist & collection
- The Virgin Mary and Five Standing Saints above Predella Panels
The Virgin Mary and Five Standing Saints above Predella Panels
The Virgin Mary and Five Standing Saints above Predella Panels
The Virgin Mary and Five Standing Saints above Predella Panels
The Virgin Mary and Five Standing Saints above Predella Panels
The Virgin Mary and Five Standing Saints above Predella Panels
