Marcus Chen
The National Gallery in Trafalgar Square, London, houses a collection of over 2,300 paintings dating from the mid-13th century to 1900. The oldest painting in the National Gallery is Margarito d'Arezzo's 'The Virgin and Child Enthroned, with Scenes of the Nativity and the Lives of the Saints', dating back to 1263-4. The Tuscan artist's work is a striking piece, with a simple design and a contrast of decorative black borders against a gold leaf background. The painting underwent restoration in the early 19th century, with the old gilding stripped off and replaced with new gold, and the border overpainted with reddish-brown paint.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Artist | Margarito d'Arezzo |
| Title | Virgin and Child Enthroned, with Scenes of the Nativity and the Lives of the Saints |
| Date | 1263-4 |
| Conservation work | Restoration by Kristina Mandy |
| Frame | Engaged frame, integral to the painting |
| Gilding | 19th-century re-gilding removed to reveal original gesso layer and fragments of original gold |
| Border | Overpainted with reddish-brown paint in the 19th century; restoration revealed original paint and decorative yellow pattern |
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What You'll Learn
The oldest painting is Margarito d'Arezzo's Virgin and Child Enthroned
The National Gallery in London is home to over 2,300 paintings, most of which date from the mid-13th century to 1900. The oldest painting in the collection is Margarito d'Arezzo's Virgin and Child Enthroned, which dates back to 1263-4.
The Tuscan artist's work depicts the Virgin Mary seated on a throne with the Christ Child on her lap, enclosed within an almond shape known as a mandorla. Surrounding them are eight scenes from the lives of various saints. The striking design features a gold leaf background, decorative black borders, and a limited colour palette of red, black, brown, and gold, making the painting clear and easy to read.
The painting's horizontal shape is similar to that of altar frontals, which were placed in front of the altar table before altarpieces became more conventional. Vertical channels on the reverse of the panel suggest that it was once secured on top of an altar table, reinforcing the religious nature of the work. This depiction of the Virgin and Child emphasises Christ as the embodiment of the Old Testament concept of divine 'wisdom' and a spiritual ruler.
The 13th-century Italian engaged frame and panel were crafted as one piece, using wood covered with canvas, gesso, gold leaf, and paint. The original frame mouldings are attached to the front of the panel with nails, and the left and right sides of both the panel and frame have been cut slightly, revealing some of the nails. The intricate decorative details on the frame include a chamfered inner edge painted red-brown and outlined in black with white scrolling leaf decorations, which have faded over time.
The National Gallery's oldest painting underwent conservation work after the 19th-century re-gilding and overpainting started to flake off and deteriorate. During the restoration process, the old gilding was removed, and the frame was re-gilded with fresh gold leaf. The overpainting was carefully removed using a water-based gel, revealing the original paint beneath.
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The painting dates back to 1263-4
The oldest painting in the National Gallery dates back to 1263-4. The painting, titled 'The Virgin and Child Enthroned, with Scenes of the Nativity and the Lives of the Saints', was created by Tuscan artist Margarito d'Arezzo. The painting underwent restoration in the early 19th century, during which the original gilding was removed from the frame and it was re-gilded with fresh gold. The border was also overpainted with reddish-brown paint.
The National Gallery, an art museum in Trafalgar Square, London, was founded in 1824 and houses a collection of over 2,300 paintings dating from the mid-13th century to 1900. The gallery was formed when the British government purchased 38 paintings from the heirs of John Julius Angerstein, a Russian-born émigré banker based in London. The collection included works by Raphael and Hogarth's Marriage A-la-Mode series.
The Margarito d'Arezzo painting is an altarpiece that depicts the Virgin Mary seated on a throne with the Christ Child on her lap, enclosed within an almond-shaped outline called a mandorla. The background is gold leaf, with decorative black borders, and the colours red, black, brown, and gold are used sparingly. The painting is housed in an engaged frame, which means that the frame is integral to the painting and cannot be detached. The 13th-century Italian frame and panel were created as one piece, using wood covered with canvas, gesso, gold leaf, and paint.
The National Gallery is home to other significant works, including paintings by Vincent van Gogh, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Canaletto. The gallery also features British paintings, such as 'The Hay Wain' by Constable, considered one of the greatest British paintings of all time.
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It is an altarpiece
The oldest painting in the National Gallery, London, is an altarpiece. The piece, dating back to 1263-4, is attributed to the Tuscan artist Margarito d’Arezzo. The painting, 'The Virgin and Child Enthroned, with Scenes of the Nativity and the Lives of the Saints', depicts the Virgin Mary seated on a throne with the Christ Child on her lap. This composition is enclosed within an almond-shaped outline called a mandorla.
The painting features eight smaller narrative scenes from the lives of various saints on the sides. These scenes are placed around the central figures, creating a striking contrast with the gold leaf background and decorative black borders. The limited colour palette of red, black, brown and gold adds to the overall impact of the composition. The horizontal shape of the altarpiece is similar to that of altar frontals, paintings placed in front of the altar table.
The altarpiece by Margaritone d’Arezzo is a significant work, not only for its age but also because the artist was one of the first Italian painters to sign his works. The restoration process of this altarpiece has been a meticulous endeavour, involving the removal of old gilding and overpaint to reveal the original layers beneath.
The conservation work on the frame and the painting itself has been carefully undertaken to preserve this ancient artwork. The process has included the removal of the 19th-century re-gilding and filling putty, revealing the original gesso layer and fragments of the original gold. The overpaint on the border, which had begun to flake off, was carefully removed using a water-based gel, exposing the original paint beneath.
The restoration of Margarito d’Arezzo's altarpiece is a testament to the National Gallery's commitment to preserving its extensive collection, ensuring that this 750-year-old artwork can be appreciated by future generations.
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The painting was restored in the early 19th century
The oldest painting in the National Gallery, London, is Tuscan artist Margarito d’Arezzo’s 'Virgin and Child Enthroned', dating back to 1263-4. The painting underwent restoration in the early 19th century, and conservators have recently carried out further conservation work on it.
The early 19th-century restoration of the painting involved stripping the old gilding from the frame and re-gilding it with fresh gold. The reddish-brown paint used to overpaint the border in the previous century had begun to flake off, revealing the original paint below. Conservators removed this repaint using careful cleaning tests and a water-based gel. They also removed the 19th-century re-gilding and filling putty from the engaged frame, revealing the original gesso layer and fragments of the original gold.
The engaged frame on the Arezzo painting is integral to the artwork, forming one piece with the panel. The left and right sides of the panel and frame have been cut slightly, revealing the nails that attach the frame mouldings to the front of the panel. The chamfered inner edge of the frame was originally painted red-brown, outlined in black, with intricate white scrolling leaf decorations, which are now only faintly visible.
The painting's horizontal shape resembles altar frontals, paintings placed in front of the altar table, and the vertical channels on the reverse of the panel suggest that it was once secured to an altar table. The conservation work on the painting in the early 19th century aimed to preserve and restore the original artwork, and the recent conservation work has continued this effort, ensuring that any new work is reversible and removable.
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The National Gallery houses over 2,300 paintings
The National Gallery in London houses over 2,300 paintings, most of which are major works that showcase the development of Western painting "from Giotto to Cézanne". The collection includes works by renowned artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Vincent van Gogh, and Monet. The Gallery is an art museum located in Trafalgar Square, Westminster, London, and was founded in 1824.
The Gallery's oldest painting is 'The Virgin and Child Enthroned, with Scenes of the Nativity and the Lives of the Saints' by Margarito d'Arezzo, dating back to 1263-1264. The painting underwent conservation treatment in the 19th century, during which the original gilding was stripped from the frame and it was re-gilded with fresh gold, while the border was overpainted with reddish-brown paint. In recent years, the painting has been restored again, with the 19th-century overpaint carefully removed to reveal the original paint beneath.
The National Gallery's collection includes several other notable old paintings, such as the Wilton Diptych, a rare medieval religious panel painting from the end of the 14th century, and The Stonemason's Yard by Canaletto, painted in Venice in the mid-1720s. The Gallery also holds unfinished paintings by Michelangelo from around 1500-1501 and an early version of Leonardo da Vinci's 'The Virgin of the Rocks', which depicts the Virgin Mary and Child Jesus with the infant John the Baptist and an angel.
The National Gallery has a rich history, with its founding collection consisting of 38 paintings purchased from the heirs of John Julius Angerstein in 1824. The collection continued to grow, with additional paintings acquired through purchases and private donations, including works by artists such as Raphael and Hogarth. The current building, designed by William Wilkins, opened to the public in 1838 and has been expanded over the years to accommodate the growing collection.
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Frequently asked questions
The oldest painting in the National Gallery, London, is Margarito d’Arezzo’s Virgin and Child Enthroned, dating back to 1263-1264.
Tuscan artist Margarito d’Arezzo is believed to have created the oldest painting in the National Gallery.
The painting depicts the Virgin Mary seated on a throne with the Christ Child on her lap, enclosed within an almond shape called a mandorla.
Around the Virgin Mary and Christ Child are eight scenes of the lives of various saints. The painting features a contrast of a gold leaf background with decorative black borders and limited use of colour – red, black, brown and gold.
The painting has undergone restoration work in the past. The most recent conservation treatment was carried out after the painting had last been restored in the early 19th century.
