Virgin and Child Enthroned with the Four Fathers of the Latin Church, ca. 1540 – 1550

Dimensions: 290.4 x 195.8 cm

Physical Description: Canvas

Inventory Number: 916

Acquisition: Acquired in 1845

Status: On display, 2nd upper level, Old Masters, room 15

Texts

About the Work

Moretto’s ‘Sacra Conversazione’ is one of the few large altar paintings in the Städel. A typical High Renaissance altarpiece, it shows all the figures in a continuous picture space and on a single surface. Depictions of saints had previously been distributed among several separately framed panels. To this day it has not proven possible to identify the original location of this altarpiece and thus to determine the circumstances surrounding its execution. The choice of saints indicates that the altar was dedicated to the Church Fathers Ambrose, Gregory, Jerome and Augustine.

Audio

Basic information

01:08
Focus on religion

02:06

Work Data

Basic Information

Title: Virgin and Child Enthroned with the Four Fathers of the Latin Church

Painter

Moretto da Brescia

Period Produced

16th century

School

Renaissance

Object Type

painting (artwork)

Physical Description: Canvas

Material

canvas

Technique

mixed technique

Property and Acquisition

Institution

Städel Museum

Departement

Old Masters 1300 - 1800

Collection

Städelsches Kunstinstitut

Creditline: Städel Museum, Frankfurt am Main

Picture Copyright: Public Domain

Acquisition: Acquired in 1845

Work Content

Motifs and References

Genre

Main Motif

Persons Shown

Associated Persons and Institutions

Iconclass

Primary

11F611 'Sacra Conversazione'
11FF422 Mary sitting or enthroned, the Christ-child on her knee (Christ-child to Mary's left) - FF - the Christ-child to Mary's right
11F725 Christ-child cheek to cheek with Mary, or kissing her ~ Madonna-representations
11I51 the four Latin (Western) Fathers of the Church together: Ambrose (usually as bishop), Jerome (usually as cardinal), Augustine (usually as bishop), Gregory the Great (usually as pope)