The Madonna of Humility, the Annunciation, the Nativity, and the Pietà

Bartolomeo Vivarini Italian

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 954

The Vivarini were a family of Venetian painters whose prolific workshop specialized in large multi-tiered altarpieces for churches throughout the Veneto region. This relatively small triptych was likely intended for private devotion. The kneeling nun, dressed as a member of the Dominican Order, probably represents the patron. Bartolomeo’s debt to the Paduan master Andrea Mantegna is especially evident in the rendering of the landscape and the figure of the Madonna in the Nativity scene. Although the frame is not original, it conveys the decorative ornamentation typical of the Vivarini.

The Madonna of Humility, the Annunciation, the Nativity, and the Pietà, Bartolomeo Vivarini (Italian, active Venice 1450–91), Tempera and gold on wood

Due to rights restrictions, this image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

Open Access

As part of the Met's Open Access policy, you can freely copy, modify and distribute this image, even for commercial purposes.

API

Public domain data for this object can also be accessed using the Met's Open Access API.

The Madonna of Humility, the Annunciation, the Nativity, and the Pietà, Bartolomeo Vivarini (Italian, active Venice 1450–91), Tempera and gold on wood
The Madonna of Humility, the Annunciation, the Nativity, and the Pietà, Bartolomeo Vivarini (Italian, active Venice 1450–91), Tempera and gold on wood

This artwork is meant to be viewed from right to left. Scroll left to view more.