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Bronzino Venus Cupid Satyr | Virgin Sleeping Child


Bronzino “Virgin and Child Sleeping with Saint Anne and Saint John the Baptist” at the Colonna Gallery in Rome


Agnolo Bronzino, Virgin and Child with Saint Anne and Saint John the Baptist at the Colonna Gallery in Rome
Bronzino, Virgin and Child

Agnolo Bronzino (1503–1572) “Virgin and Child Sleeping with Saint Anne and Saint John the Baptist”

Oil on wood (121 x 95 cm) 1550-1555

This superb painting by Bronzino revisits a theme that the artist explored many times.

It is a work imbued with emotion, in which we see the Virgin Mary full of love for Jesus, expressing all the tenderness of a mother watching over her sleeping child.

The humanity of the scene is further enhanced by Jesus' gentle attitude of total abandonment in his mother's skirts.

We can also see her holding the boisterous and laughing little Saint John the Baptist with one hand, so that he does not disturb the sleep of the Child Jesus.

Saint Anne takes the same precautions to maintain calm by whispering something in the ear of the Virgin Mary, who listens to her while watching over her child.

Agnolo Bronzino, Virgin with Sleeping Child, Saint Anne and Saint John the Baptist at the Colonna Gallery in Rome
Bronzino, Virgin and Child Sleeping
The Virgin's face is extraordinarily beautiful, reflecting Mary's holiness and gentleness.

The softness and richness of the flesh tones are enhanced by the effects of light and shadow introduced by Bronzino in his painting.

The superb blue colour typical of Bronzino's paintings is used here for the Virgin's dress.

This bright blue contrasts particularly well with the flesh tones to highlight the body of the Baby Jesus.

The inverted equilateral triangle composition is also very powerful, with a diagonal line running from the gaze and face of Saint John the Baptist to the outer knee of the sleeping Jesus.

This results in the characters being extremely close together, leaving no unnecessary space that could distract the viewer's attention.

Agnolo Bronzino, Virgin and Child with Saint Anne and Saint John the Baptist at the Colonna Gallery in Rome
Bronzino, Madonna and Child
Agnolo Bronzino, Madonna and Child with Saint Anne and Saint John the Baptist in the Colonna Gallery in Rome
Bronzino, Madonna and Child
Agnolo Bronzino, Virgin and Child with Saint Anne and Saint John the Baptist at the Colonna Gallery in Rome
Bronzino, Virgin and Child

Bronzino Venus Cupid Satyr | Virgin Sleeping Child
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