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A work of art filled with religious symbols and unusual elements, such as a drooling dragon, will be displayed to the public for the first time in more than 60 years in London.
An enigmatic work of art, featuring a drooling dragon and religious figures, has just entered the collection of the National Gallery in London.
Despite the millionaire value, around US$ 20 million, nobody knows for sure who the author of the work is, where it was created or even what country the artist came from. Still, the British institution decided to bet on the mysterious piece.
Work of art acquired at a special celebration
The work in question is called The Virgin and Child with Saints Louis and Margaret. It was purchased for $20 million. According to the museum's director, Gabriele Finaldi, the gallery had been eyeing the painting "for decades."
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Last publicly exhibited in 1960, the work was once again presented to the public.
The management expects that the new exhibition can help scholars and specialists to advance in the identification of the artist and the origin of the painting.
Investigations into the origin
The studies Technical have already begun. One of the first tests carried out was dendrochronology, a technique used to date wood.
Analysis indicated that the Baltic oak panel used for the painting is about 1483. This wood was widely used by artists in the Netherlands.
This detail is important because, at the end of the 15th century, French painters often used local wood. The presence of Baltic oak therefore suggests a link with the Dutch region.
The oldest documentation about the altarpiece dates from 1602.
That year, the piece was recorded at the Premonstratensian Abbey of Drongen in Ghent, Belgium. Experts still don't know if this was the original location of the work. However, the themes present in the painting indicate that it may have been.
Curious symbols and characters
The painting shows the Virgin Mary and the baby Jesus accompanied by two angels, Saint Margaret and Saint Louis.
A dragon with drool dripping from its mouth also appears in the scene, with a canine appearance and exaggerated fangs. According to tradition, this dragon is actually Satan.
He would have swallowed Saint Margaret, who appears in the image praying calmly, as if nothing had happened.
Saint Louis, in the image, is represented with a chain.
The accessory model was officially changed in 1516, which allows researchers to establish an upper limit for the painting's creation date.
Based on this and the visual style of the work, scholars estimate that it was made around 1510.
The depiction of the French king Louis IX as Saint Louis is significant, as he was important to the Premonstratensian order by allowing the use of the fleur-de-lis in their coat of arms. This symbolism reinforces the connection between the work and the abbey where it was found.
Mix of styles and influences
Although the artist of the painting remains unknown, there are stylistic indications that point to possible influences. The National Gallery states that the work shows traces of the French painter Jean Hey. There are also similarities with Dutch artists such as Jan van Eyck and Hugo van der Goes.
The combination of styles led Emma Capron, the gallery’s curator, to describe the altarpiece as “extremely inventive.” She also pointed out several “iconographic peculiarities” present in the work.
Among them are angels who appear with unusual musical instruments. One of them holds a book of songs, which was previously thought to be a hymn by the English composer Walter Frye. Now, experts identify the text as musical gibberish. The other angel plays a mouth harp, a sound that, according to the gallery itself, does not fit with the traditional image of heavenly music.
Hidden details and flashy garments
In addition to the main elements, the painting is full of symbolic references. There are details from the Old Testament engraved on the capitals of the columns. Objects associated with the crucifixion, such as nails, are also seen scattered throughout the scene. A small goldfinch can also be seen, hidden among the elements.
Despite all the intricate detail, the centerpiece of the image remains the Virgin Mary and baby Jesus. They are dressed in a shade described as “bright sports car red,” according to Artnet’s Richard Whiddington.
Work has challenged experts for decades
Historian Denys Sutton, in the 1950s, already recognized the challenge that the work represented. He described the altarpiece as a “delightful item that challenges the ingenuity of scholars”. Now, more than 60 years later, the enigma remains.
With the new exhibition, the National Gallery hopes that the public and experts will gradually be able to uncover the secrets of painting. Until then, The Virgin and Child with Saints Louis and Margaret continues to intrigue with its mix of humor, devotion and mystery
