Holy Family with saints Margaret and Francis Liviania Fontana
Holy Family with saints Margaret and Francis by Liviania Fontana 1578
Renaissance painter Lavinia Fontana received commissions for portraits, a typical subject matter for women painters, as well as religious and mythological themes. She made great strides in the field of portraiture, which garnered her fame within and beyond Italy. In fact, Fontana is regarded as the first woman artist, working within the same sphere as her male counterparts, outside a court or convent.
At age 25, Fontana married a fellow painter from a noble family. He functioned as Fontana’s studio assistant and managed their growing household (the couple had 11 children, only three of whom outlived their mother).
For 20 years beginning in the 1580s, Fontana was the portraitist of choice among Bolognese noblewomen. She also painted likenesses of important individuals connected with the University of Bologna. Fontana’s fame spread to Rome, where she moved in 1604. There she became a portraitist at the court of Pope Paul V and was the recipient of numerous honors, including a bronze portrait medallion cast in 1611 by sculptor and architect Felice Antonio Casoni.
In this painting, the Blessed Virgin Mary holds the Christ Child above His golden cradle, presenting Him before Saint Francis and Saint Margaret, who kneels to receive His blessing. Saint Francis, holding a crucifix, steps back slightly, allowing Saint Margaret to approach the Child first, a gesture of humility. Behind them, Saint Joseph leans quietly on his cane as he witnesses the moment. The delicate, luminous skin tones of the Virgin and Child convey purity and tenderness, while the more shadowed and firm features of Saint Francis and Saint Joseph emphasize their roles as contemplative, steadfast guardians within the sacred scene.
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