Lorenzo Lotto
Virgin and Child with SS. John the Baptist and Peter Martyr

The Christ child is sitting on his mother's lap, raising his hand in a gesture of blessing. Facing him are Saint Peter Martyr and Saint John the Baptist, both worshipping the child.

This devotional painting is by Lorenzo Lotto, who was younger than Giovanni Bellini by roughly 45 years. Yet in his painting, he borrows a subject originally developed in Bellini's workshop. Take a look at the two images provided for comparison next to it or in your media guide, which are attributed to Vincenzo Catena and Fra Marco Pensaben. All three devotional paintings depict Mary in characteristic pose: with head bowed and left hand holding the child, she stretches her right arm way out in front. But the purpose of her gesture is different: in the painting by Lorenzo Lotto, she is blessing Saint John with that hand. Originally, there was probably a donor in the place now occupied by the Baptist. In the paintings by Vincenzo Catena and Fra Marco Pensaben, however, the Madonna's hand rests on a book.

One and the same motif in different works. The obvious parallels provide an insight into the way the Bellini workshop operated – as one of the largest painting workshops in early modern Europe. They also give an insight into the way a popular subject was repeatedly copied and modified. More than twenty works can be traced back to this original!