Virgin of the Councillors facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Virgin of the Consellers |
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| Artist | Lluís Dalmau |
| Year | 1443–1445 |
| Type | Oil on oak wood |
| Dimensions | 316 cm × 312.5 cm (124 in × 123.0 in) |
| Location | Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya, Barcelona |
The Virgin of the Councillors is a famous panel painting created with oil paints by the artist Lluís Dalmau. You can find this amazing artwork today at the National Art Museum of Catalonia in Barcelona, Spain. It was ordered in 1443, making it a very old and important piece of art history.
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What Makes This Painting Special?
A New Way to Paint
In the 1400s, a new style of painting became popular in a region called Burgundy (which is now part of France and Belgium). This style was known for being very realistic and detailed. A famous painter named Jan van Eyck was a master of this new way of painting.
King Alfonso the Magnanimous of Aragon wanted his own artists to learn these new techniques. So, in 1431, he sent his official painter, Lluís Dalmau, all the way to Flanders (where Jan van Eyck lived) to study this realistic style firsthand. Dalmau learned how to use oil paints, which allowed for much richer colors and finer details than older painting methods.
Painting for the City
In 1443, Dalmau was asked to paint a large artwork for the chapel inside the City Hall of Barcelona. This type of painting, often placed behind an altar in a church or chapel, is called an altarpiece.
A Breakthrough in Art
The Virgin of the Councillors was a huge step forward for art in Catalonia, the region where Barcelona is located. It was special for several reasons:
- Size and Shape: The painting had a new and impressive size and shape.
- Oil Paint: It was painted using oil, a technique Dalmau learned in Flanders. This allowed for incredible detail and vibrant colors.
- Realistic Space: The painting creates a clever illusion of depth, making it look like you could step right into the scene.
- Real People: What's really cool is that the five city councillors (important leaders of the city) from that year were painted from real life! They are shown in the painting at the same size as the Virgin Mary and the Saints, which was quite unusual for the time. It made the painting feel very real and connected to the people of Barcelona.
