Antonello da Messina
The Madonna with Child (Salting Madonna) is a painting attributed on the basis of style to the early Italian Renaissance master Antonello da Messina. The name Salting, which is also applied to a Madonna by Robert Campin, denotes George Salting, the collector who donated it to the gallery in 1910.
The Salting Madonna shows a complex series of cultural references that in the past have led scholars to classify it variously as a Flemish, Spanish, or even Russian work. It is one of Antonello's earlier works, dating most likely from the 1460s, when the artist was still in Sicily. It portrays the Madonna adorned with a series of well-crafted and rendered details, such as the crown and the Venetian-style garments and gossamer veil. The Virgin Mary is shown not only as the mother of Christ but as the Queen of Heaven, with two angels holding an ornate crown over her head. The Child holds a pomegranate in his hands, which symbolize the Passion of Christ. The painting probably served for private devotion.
The abstract beauty of the Madonna's face derives from the style of contemporary Provençal artists.
P.S. If you are attracted by this subtle beauty of late medieval painting, see here the stunning Merode Altarpiece by Robert Campin. <3
P.S.S. There's an important exhibition this spring gathering the best work of Antonello da Messina in Palazzo Reale in Milan. Read about it in DailyArt Magazine!