Polyptych

Expand Figure 2 Polyptych with St. James Major, Madonna and Child, and Various Saints (altarpiece), 1490;
artist: Bartolomeo Vivarini (Italian painter and draftsman, active from ca. 1440, died after 1500);
tempera on panel, 280 x 215 cm;
J. Paul Getty Museum (Los Angeles, California), 71.PB.30.

Object/Work🔺

  • Catalog Level:🔺 item (value type: controlled list)
  • Type:🔺 polyptych
    altarpiece (value type: authority)

Classification🔺

  • Terms:🔺
    paintings
    European Art (value type: controlled list)

Titles or Names🔺

  • Text:🔺 Polyptych with the Madonna and Child, Saint James Major, and Various Saints (value type: free text)
    Preference: preferred (value type: controlled list)

Creation🔺

  • Creator Description:🔺 Bartolomeo Vivarini (Italian painter and draftsman, active from ca. 1440, died after 1500) (value type: free text)

  • Identity:🔺 Vivarini, Bartolomeo (_value type: authority)
    Role:🔺 painter

  • Creation Date:🔺 1490 (value type: free text)
    Earliest:🔺 1490 Latest:🔺 1490 (value type: controlled format)

Measurements🔺

  • Dimensions Description:🔺 comprises 10 panels; overall: 280 x 215 cm (110 1/4 x 84 5/8 inches) (value type: free text)

  • Extent: components Value: 10 Type: count
    Value: 280 Unit: cm Type: height
    Value: 215 Unit: cm Type: width (value type: controlled format and controlled lists)

Materials and Techniques🔺

  • Description:🔺 tempera and gold leaf on panel (value type: free text)

  • Material Name:
    tempera Role: medium
    gold leaf Role: medium
    panel (wood) Role: support (value type: authority)

Subject Matter🔺

  • Indexing Terms:🔺
    religion/mythology
    Madonna and Child (Christian iconography)
    Saint James Major (Christian iconography)
    Jesus (Christian iconography)
    Saint Mary (Christian iconography)
    Virgin Mary (Christian iconography)
    Saint Bartholomew (Christian iconography)
    Saint Peter (Christian iconography)
    Saint Catherine (Christian iconography)
    Saint John the Baptist (Christian iconography)
    Saint John the Evangelist (Christian iconography)
    Saint Apollonia (Christian iconography)
    Saint Ursula (Christian iconography)
    martyrs
    saints
    pilgrimage (value type: authority)

Descriptive Note

  • Text: The themes of martyrdom and pilgrimage are strongly represented in this polyptych. The central saint, Saint John Major, holds a pilgrim’s staff and shell, references to a famous pilgrimage site dedicated to him, Santiago de Compostela; pilgrimage sites were also dedicated to several other of the saints depicted. All of the saints depicted were martyrs, with the exception of John the Evangelist, Mary Magdalene, and the Virgin Mary. However, two of those three may be linked to martyrdon: John the Evangelist was thought to have survived an attempted martyrdom; the female saint with a jar has been identified as Mary Magdalene, but she carries a martyr’s palm, so perhaps that identificaiton is mistaken. (value type: free text)

  • Citation: J. Paul Getty Museum online (value type: authority)
    Page: accessed 10 February 2009 (value type: free text)

Current Location🔺

  • Repository Name/Geographic Location:🔺 Paul Getty Museum (Los Angeles, California, United States) (value type: authority)
    Repository Numbers:🔺 71.PB.30 (value type: free text)

NOTE: 🔺 indicates a core CDWA category.

Revised 23 July 2024
by Emily Benoff

Figure 2 Polyptych with St. James Major, Madonna and Child, and Various Saints (altarpiece), 1490;
artist: Bartolomeo Vivarini (Italian painter and draftsman, active from ca. 1440, died after 1500);
tempera on panel, 280 x 215 cm;
J. Paul Getty Museum (Los Angeles, California), 71.PB.30.