Niccolò Pisano (Italian, Pisan and Ferrarese Schools, documented 1470–ca. 1538). <em>Madonna and Child with Saint Catherine of Alexandria</em>, 1510–1515. Tempera and oil on panel, 17 × 14 7/8 in. (43.2 × 37.8 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Bequest of A. Augustus Healy, 21.139 (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 21.139_bw_SL1.jpg)

Niccolò Pisano (Italian, Pisan and Ferrarese Schools, documented 1470–ca. 1538). Madonna and Child with Saint Catherine of Alexandria, 1510–1515. Tempera and oil on panel, 17 × 14 7/8 in. (43.2 × 37.8 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Bequest of A. Augustus Healy, 21.139 (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 21.139_bw_SL1.jpg)

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Why is Mary often depicted in blue?

Mary is often depicted with a blue mantle because blue was associated with the sky and Mary was being portrayed as the Queen in Heaven. Additionally, blue pigments were very expensive and were often reserved for the holiest figures in a given scene.

Religious iconography had to be consistent so that illiterate worshipers could identify key figures. The blue mantle is also a useful visual device used throughout the history of Christianity!

Thanks!

Did both purple and blue signify royalty?

If only the wealthy could afford a certain pigment, it became associated with those in power. Purple pigment has also at various points in history been difficult to obtain.

The popularity of a particular color depended on location and time period, since trade and development of new pigments play a key role in what is expensive! Blue was associated with royalty when pigment was only being made from lapis lazuli, a difficult to obtain stone. When synthetic blue pigment became available in Europe, it was no longer associated with wealth and royalty, as it was much easier to come by!

Woah, that's crazy. Thanks for sharing all your wisdom.

Tell me more.

A small painting of the Madonna, like this one, would have been intended for private devotion. The original owner commissioned the painting to serve as an image to direct prayers to.

With Mary and Jesus, we also see Saint Catherine of Alexandria. She is identified by the piece of wood she is holding. It is meant to be a piece of the wheel on which she was tortured to death.

I am looking at the paintings of the Virgin Mary. Do you know if lapis lazuli was used in any of the particular paintings?

Unfortunately none of these Virgin Mary paintings have been tested to determine the makeup of the pigments. However, the deep blue of the Virgin Mary's cloak was painted with costly lapis lazuli pigment in paintings of the time, so it's definitely a possibility.

Even if the ultramarine pigment is not present, the shade itself is still symbolic and is meant a reference to the stone.

Does the baby have 6 toes?

I can see how it might look like her has six toes, but it is indeed, just five. All the way to the right some of his baby-foot-chub looks like another toe in the right light.

The impressively realistic detail of this infant suggests that Pisano actually observed and sketched real babies to inform his work. Not all artists of the Renaissance did this.

Haha thanks! I thought so, but I was like “oh maybe the number 6 has some special significance”. It *Is* super detailed! Thanks for the answer!

You're welcome! You can never be too careful!

Dis baby high?

Many people do describe babies as "high" after they've had a lot of breast milk!

One of the innovations later in the the Italian Renaissance was that more and more artists were looking at real babies to sketch and paint them resulting in more realistic babies.

Can you help me compare these two paintings?

Sure! What are some of the first comparisons that come to mind?

The paint and style used. The second one looks more traditional and older style.

It is especially interesting that the two do have such a similar style! This would be considered Rennaissance rather the Gothic, but it is very typical of its time.

Paintings like this are very common in Italian churches and museums so we can assume the Stella certainly saw something like it there.

One interesting stylistic point about this painting is that we can tell the artist spent time looking at real babies to help him understand how to paint them.

Stella's subject matter and his treatment of the background date back many centuries (as is evident in paintings like this one by Niccolò Pisano), but his application of the flowers is thoroughly modern, even though they are also inspired by tradtition!

Madonna and Child with Saint Catherine of Alexandria

Niccolò Pisano

European Art

ARTIST Niccolò Pisano, Italian, Pisan and Ferrarese Schools, documented 1470–ca. 1538

MEDIUM Tempera and oil on panel

Place Made: Italy

DATES 1510–1515

DIMENSIONS 17 × 14 7/8 in. (43.2 × 37.8 cm) frame: 34 1/2 × 27 3/4 × 4 3/8 in. (87.6 × 70.5 × 11.1 cm) (show scale)

COLLECTIONS European Art

ACCESSION NUMBER 21.139

CREDIT LINE Bequest of A. Augustus Healy

MUSEUM LOCATION This item is not on view

CAPTION Niccolò Pisano (Italian, Pisan and Ferrarese Schools, documented 1470–ca. 1538). Madonna and Child with Saint Catherine of Alexandria, 1510–1515. Tempera and oil on panel, 17 × 14 7/8 in. (43.2 × 37.8 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Bequest of A. Augustus Healy, 21.139 (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 21.139_bw_SL1.jpg)

IMAGE overall, 21.139_bw_SL1.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph, 2010

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