The Virgin and Child with Saints Louis and Margaret

A wonderful new acquisition at the National Gallery of an altarpiece dated around 1510.

I’d seen this featured in the papers in the week and was so excited to see it and it didn’t disappoint.

The figures in it are monumental and so realistic. I think I may be in love with the Saint Louis, surely he was a portrait.  The iconography is strange and innovative from the quirky dragon at the feet of Saint Margaret to the angel playing the Jews’ harp.

The gallery have placed it in the Flemish room alongside Gossaert, Memling and Gerard David and I feel that is the right world for it although some press reports are hedging their bets by saying Flemish/French. I can’t wait to hear more about it and to the years of research work to be done. The instinct is try to attribute it to a known artist but it’s just a likely to be someone we’ve never heard of before and may never be able to name.

My only moan is the highly reflective glass on it which didn’t work where it was placed opposite the newly opened up windows. It was hard to see all the luscious details for their reflection on the surface.

Review

Times


 

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