Lorenzo Lotto - Portrait of Giovanni della Volta with his wife and children (1547)
This is probably a portrait of the Venetian merchant, Giovanni della Volta and his family described in Lotto's account book between 1538 and 1547. No other portrait of a man, woman and two children by Lotto is known.
The action is focused on the bowl of cherries on the table. The mother offers cherries to her daughter, while the father offers them to his son, who seems to dance before him in the foreground.
The table with its elaborately patterned Turkish carpet is central to the painting. This is of a type frequently represented by Lotto (hence known as a 'Lotto carpet') and has yellow arabesques on a red field, and a Kufic border.
London, National Gallery
high resolution image
What you need to know about this family portrait:
Giovanni is doing quite well in the Venetian merchant business.
Giovanni is much older than the Mrs.
The Mrs. has done her duty and borne two or more children. And counting, judging by her expression.
She gets to hold the girl child.
He is accorded the honor of holding The Wee Male Heir, who (if you look closely) the transparent drapery clearly testifies is, indeed, male.
The Voltas could afford bowls of cherries.
The Voltas do not appear to share lots o' laughs or tender moments as a couple. (Just a wild guess.)
arthistory.about.com/od/from_exhibitions/ig/renaissance_f...
Lorenzo Lotto - Portrait of Giovanni della Volta with his wife and children (1547)
This is probably a portrait of the Venetian merchant, Giovanni della Volta and his family described in Lotto's account book between 1538 and 1547. No other portrait of a man, woman and two children by Lotto is known.
The action is focused on the bowl of cherries on the table. The mother offers cherries to her daughter, while the father offers them to his son, who seems to dance before him in the foreground.
The table with its elaborately patterned Turkish carpet is central to the painting. This is of a type frequently represented by Lotto (hence known as a 'Lotto carpet') and has yellow arabesques on a red field, and a Kufic border.
London, National Gallery
high resolution image
What you need to know about this family portrait:
Giovanni is doing quite well in the Venetian merchant business.
Giovanni is much older than the Mrs.
The Mrs. has done her duty and borne two or more children. And counting, judging by her expression.
She gets to hold the girl child.
He is accorded the honor of holding The Wee Male Heir, who (if you look closely) the transparent drapery clearly testifies is, indeed, male.
The Voltas could afford bowls of cherries.
The Voltas do not appear to share lots o' laughs or tender moments as a couple. (Just a wild guess.)
arthistory.about.com/od/from_exhibitions/ig/renaissance_f...