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Virgin and Child with Two Angels

A work made of tempera on panel.
CC0 Public Domain Designation

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  • A work made of tempera on panel.

Date:

c. 1490

Artist:

Sandro Botticelli (Italian, 1444/45–1510)

About this artwork

Sandro Botticelli’s works mark the culmination of a mystical religious tradition in the art of early Renaissance Florence, from the paintings of Lorenzo Monaco and Fra Angelico through those of Fra Filippo Lippi, Botticelli’s teacher. In this lyrical late work by Botticelli, two angels draw back curtains to reveal the Virgin and Child, who are framed by slender trees in a setting suggesting a throne. The intimate presentation of the holy figures and Christ’s gesture of blessing suggest that this small painting served a private devotional function. This supposition is supported by the choice of format, since a Florentine patron would have typically commissioned a circular painting, or tondo, for use in a bedchamber.

Status

On View, Gallery 205

Department

Painting and Sculpture of Europe

Artist

Sandro Botticelli

Title

Virgin and Child with Two Angels

Place

Italy (Artist's nationality:)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

1485–1495

Medium

Tempera on panel

Dimensions

Diam.: 34.4 cm (13 1/2 in.); Framed: Diam.: 44.5 cm (17 1/2 in.)

Credit Line

Max and Leola Epstein Collection

Reference Number

1954.282

IIIF Manifest  The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world.

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https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/80526/manifest.json

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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