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A Saint with a Fortress and a Banner

Image credit: The National Gallery, London

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Notes

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This young saint holding a banner and a model fortress was once thought to be Saint George, as a red cross on a white background is the flag associated with him. However it is more likely that he is Terentius, the patron saint of Pesaro. He stands high on a parapet, set against a great expanse of sky. Where the fabric of his cloak catches the light, the pattern of the gold damask weave is wonderfully revealed in tiny hatched brushtrokes.

Originally this panel and A Youthful Saint reading, also in the National Gallery’s collection, would have flanked a central image, probably of the Virgin and Child, in a multi-panelled altarpiece known as a polyptych. The contemplative mood of the painting, the grassy landscape with its hilltop town beneath a large sky and the saint’s oval face are all reminiscent of late works by Giovanni Bellini.

The National Gallery, London

London

Title

A Saint with a Fortress and a Banner

Date

probably about 1512-25

Medium

Oil on spruce

Measurements

H 117.8 x W 47.6 cm

Accession number

NG633

Acquisition method

Bought, 1860

Work type

Painting

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Normally on display at

The National Gallery, London

Trafalgar Square, London, Greater London WC2N 5DN England

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