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MASTERPIECE
An unremarkable little bird at the top-left of the painting is witness to a peaceful moment between the Holy Family and John the Baptist, who are resting at the edge of a forest. The image completely fills the frame so there is little room for anything other than the figures in this intimate scene. The additional motifs, such as the bird, must therefore have been depicted by Benson for a reason. In early Netherlandish painting, when Mary and Child are portrayed with a bird it is usually a goldfinch. Legend has it that the little goldfinch plucked a thorn from Christ’s forehead during his procession to Calvary. As a result, a drop of the Saviour’s blood fell onto the goldfinch’s head, hence its characteristic red spot. The bird depicted in Benson’s painting, however, is not a goldfinch but a great tit. Why Benson deviated from the usual iconography is not known, perhaps he wanted to convey a different message that is now lost.
Details
Subject
Inscription
signatuur en datering
(linksonder op het rotsblok): 1527/AB
Dimensions
geheel, hoogte: 83 cm
geheel, breedte: 65.5 cm
met lijst, hoogte: 101 cm
met lijst, breedte: 80 cm
met lijst, diepte: 9.5 cm
geheel, breedte: 65.5 cm
met lijst, hoogte: 101 cm
met lijst, breedte: 80 cm
met lijst, diepte: 9.5 cm
Identification
Collection
Category
Object name
Inventory number
2006.GRO0001.I
Linked open data
IIIF manifest
Copyright
Musea Brugge is committed to making its data available as usable open data. Images of works of art which are not subject to copyright restrictions are therefore published under the Creative Commons Zero licence. These may be used freely.
