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Copy after Virgin and Child, Fra Bartolomeo in the Convent of San Marco (Florence)

Watercolour
second half 19th century (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This watercolour is a copy made by Eduard Kaiser (Graz 1820 – Vienna 1895) after the frescoes in the Convento di San Marco in Florence by Fra Bartolomeo (Florence 1472 – 1517). It was painted for the Arundel Society, founded in 1848 to promote knowledge of art through the publication of reproductions of works of art. The Arundel Society popularised Renaissance art, particularly that of the Italian Old Masters, echoing the growing interest in ‘primitives’ (art of western Europe prior to the Renaissance) during the second half of the nineteenth century. This watercolour was published as a chromolithograph in 1869.

Fra Bartolomeo became a friar in 1500 and he was a fervent follower of Savonarola (1452-1498, priest and preacher active in Florence). The artist moved to Venice in 1508, where he was able to combine the Venetian use of colour with his existing technique. In the Nineteenth century Fra Bartolomeo was generally considered a follower of the Florentine High Renaissance painters, only becoming recognised as an important artist in his own right later in the century.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleCopy after <i>Virgin and Child</i>, Fra Bartolomeo in the Convent of San Marco (Florence) (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Watercolour on paper
Brief description
Watercolour, copy after Virgin and Child, Fra Bartolomeo in the Convent of San Marco (Florence), Edward Kaiser, second half 19th century
Physical description
A jung woman, the Virgin, wearing a red and yellow robe, holds the Child in her arms.
Dimensions
  • Arched top height: 413mm
  • Arched top width: 280mm
413 x 280 mm (arched top)
Marks and inscriptions
Inscribed in ink, lower left EDUARD KAISER
Object history
Acquired in 1995 from the National Gallery of London.
Watercolour copy made for the Arundel Society by Edward Kaiser and published as chromolithograph in 1869.
Summary
This watercolour is a copy made by Eduard Kaiser (Graz 1820 – Vienna 1895) after the frescoes in the Convento di San Marco in Florence by Fra Bartolomeo (Florence 1472 – 1517). It was painted for the Arundel Society, founded in 1848 to promote knowledge of art through the publication of reproductions of works of art. The Arundel Society popularised Renaissance art, particularly that of the Italian Old Masters, echoing the growing interest in ‘primitives’ (art of western Europe prior to the Renaissance) during the second half of the nineteenth century. This watercolour was published as a chromolithograph in 1869.

Fra Bartolomeo became a friar in 1500 and he was a fervent follower of Savonarola (1452-1498, priest and preacher active in Florence). The artist moved to Venice in 1508, where he was able to combine the Venetian use of colour with his existing technique. In the Nineteenth century Fra Bartolomeo was generally considered a follower of the Florentine High Renaissance painters, only becoming recognised as an important artist in his own right later in the century.
Bibliographic references
  • Tanya Ledger, A Study of the Arundel Society 1848-1897. Unpublished thesis submitted for degree of Doctor of Philosophy, University of Oxford, 1978, p.277
  • Serena Padovani, Fra Bartolomeo e la Scuola di San Marco, Firenze: Giunta regionale toscana; Venezia: Marsilio, 1996
Collection
Accession number
E.22-1995

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Record createdMarch 24, 2009
Record URL
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