Sacred conversation

Annalena altarpiece with predella by Fra Angelico.

In art, a sacra conversazione (Italian pronunciation:[ˈsaːkra ˌkonvɛrsaˈtsjoːne]) meaning holy/sacred conver-sation, but usually left in Italian, is a depiction of theVirgin and Child (the Virgin Mary with the infant Jesus)amidst a group of saints in a relatively informal grouping,as opposed to the more rigid and hierarchical composi-tions of earlier periods.[1]

The form developed during the Italian Renaissance asartists replaced earlier hieratic triptych or polyptych for-mats for altarpieces with compositions in which figuresinteracted within a unified perspectival space. Early ex-amples are Annalena altarpiece by Fra Angelico and oth-ers by Filippo Lippi. Among other artists to depict such ascene are Piero della Francesca, Giovanni Bellini, PaoloVeronese, and Andrea Mantegna. Early examples such asthe Bellini illustrated rarely show actual “conversation” ormuch interaction, though this may be seen from the 16thcentury on, as in theMadonna and Child with Saints Lukeand Catherine of Alexandria by Titian. The setting is of-ten architectural, but may be a garden or, especially later,an open landscape.The group subjects known as Hortus conclusus, withMary and often others in a closed garden, and the Virgointer virgines, Mary with virgin saints, are related types,most popular in the 15th century.

Sacred Conversation by Palma Vecchio includes a donor portrait

1 See also• Conversation piece

2 References[1] Glossary: Sacra Conversazione. National Gallery, 2013.

Retrieved 30 January 2013.

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3.1 Text• Sacred conversation Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacred%20conversation?oldid=643175396 Contributors: Wetman, Xyzzyva,Tom harrison, Ham II, Man vyi, Sketchee, Marudubshinki, FlaBot, TexasAndroid, Trovatore, SmackBot, Screwball23, Los3, Wlos~enwiki,Tsca.bot, Ceoil, Jamoche, Amandajm, Thijs!bot, Goldenrowley, Johnbod, SilvonenBot, Addbot, LaaknorBot, Luckas-bot, Ptbotgourou,Xqbot, GrouchoBot, Mattis, Erik9bot, EmausBot, Philafrenzy, Bill william compton, ChuispastonBot, WNYY98, Oirevas and Anonymous:5

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• File:The_Virgin_and_Child_with_Saints_and_a_Donor_by_Palma_Vecchio.jpeg Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a6/The_Virgin_and_Child_with_Saints_and_a_Donor_by_Palma_Vecchio.jpeg License: Public domain Contributors: http://www.museothyssen.org/en/thyssen/ficha_obra/246 Original artist: Palma Vecchio

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