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-"The Virgin Mary Reading" is a tempera and oil painting done on a panel. This piece of art was most likely created by Antonello da Messina to show his devotion to the Virgin Mary and to show his care for the church. The pink of the robe seems to match the pink of Mary's lips, giving the viewer a feeling that Mary is angelic in nature. Pink is also a symbol of beauty and innocence; some of Mary's qualities. The green robe of the other angel seems to match the green binding on the book, which leads me to believe that the book she is reading is the Bible. Mary is often depicted reading the Bible in many other portrayals. Green is also a symbol of the Resurrection, the Ascension, and Baptism. She is the periods version of a perfect woman. Mary has a white/ cream piece of fabric that covers the majority of her hair and it seems to be attatched to what may be a small head band like piece of jewelry, similar to the one that Mary wears in " The Virgin and Child Enthrone" by the Master of the Embroidered Foliage. Her robes and overall appearance has a shocking resemblance to that of the Virgin Mary in "The Magdalen Reading" by Rogier van der Weyden.
"Antonello Da Messina." Cavallini to Veronese. Accessed January 11, 2016. http://cavallinitoveronese.co.uk/general/view_artist/43.
Christiansen, Keith. “Antonello da Messina (ca. 1430–1479).” In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/mess/hd_mess.htm (March 2010)
"The Hidden Symbolism of Colors in Western Art." Accessed January 14, 2016. http://www.historyofpainters.com/colors.htm.
Les couleurs du temps. Accessed January 14, 2016. http://www.cnrs.fr/cw/dossiers/doschim/decouv/couleurs/loupe_couleurs_temps.html.
Rynck, Patrick de. How to Read a Painting: Lessons from the Old Masters. New York: H.N. Abrams, 2004.
"The Virgin Mary." Accessed January 14, 2016. http://www.historyofpainters.com/virginmary.htm.
da Messina, Antonello. The Virgin Mary Reading. ca. 1460-1462. Tempera and oil on wood panel. The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore, MD. Accessed January 11, 2016. http://library.artstor.org/library/secure/ViewImages?id=8CdWeS03PTUpIjZUej54R34oX3gmdQ%3D%3D&userId=hzVKdDQn&zoomparams=.
Embroidered Foliage, Master Of the. The Virgin and Child Enthroned. 15th century. Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute, Williamstown, MA. Accessed January 14, 2016. http://library.artstor.org/library/iv2.html?parent=true.
-"The Virgin Mary Reading" is a tempera and oil painting sizing in at 25 1/2 inches tall by 20 1/2 inches wide when framed. Mary is seen reading a green book and is adorned in a magnificent gown and above her head is a golden crown adorned with what looks to be emeralds, rubies, and pearls on it and inside the crown are white and red roses. The crown is being brought down upon her head by two angels. The angel on the viewer's left is in pink robes and to the right is an angel adorned in light green robes. The paint is cracking and a small section on Mary's forehead seems to have fallen. Her hair is wavy and golden and her hands are small, feminine, and delicate. She seems to almost glow. Mary has a white/ cream piece of fabric that covers the majority of her hair and it seems to be attached to what may be a small head band like piece of jewelry.
"The Virgin Mary Reading" is an Italian tempera and oil painting that was done around 1460-62 by Antonello da Messina. It is sized at 25 1/2 inches tall by 20 1/2 inches wide when framed and can now be found in The Walters Art Museum. The painting was purchased by Henry Walters of Baltimore, Maryland in 1911 from Augusto Mazzetti of Florence, Italy. We have no prior knowledge of the painting's history before this purchase, however.
Antonello da Messina is considered the first true European artist and has long been acknowledged as a key figure in the history of Venetian paintings. His artwork is an important piece of information for everyone who is trying to truly understand "European art." He was one of the first people to really master the art of oil painting and even introduced this technique to another famous renaissance artist, Giovanni Bellini. That being said, I believe that his depiction of Mary in "The Virgin Mary Reading" is magnificent. It is unique to his style, yet he makes it clear that the woman is Mary. He does so by reflecting other artist's portrayals of Mary and using the universal "acceptance" of the time that this is how Mary looks, to some degree, to his advantage. He uses colors and subtle details, like the flowers, that non-consciously create a whole story and express a feeling of holiness and purity to the painting. After doing more research about Antonello da Messina, I have a new found respect for him as an artist and his art in general.
-"The Virgin Mary Reading" draws attention to Mary herself and the crown by having the book and her arms act as a base of a triangle, the angels the sides, and the crown being the point of the triangle, bringing it focus, all framing Mary on the inside. The light color of Mary's skin which makes her seem brighter than the rest and draws attention to her. The crown is also highlighted and you can see the roses it bears as well as the colors of the angels. The rose is often used as a symbol to depict Mary's love of God. The crown being brought down upon her head by angels seems to be in reference to her title as "The Queen of Heaven." The beaded strand Mary has on her shoulder leads me to believe it is a depiction of "The Three Fibula" which is usually portrayed on her shoulders and forehead in Byzantine era portrayals. This represents her chastity throughout life before, during, and after the birth of Jesus Christ, the immaculate conception.