Scenes from a Legend
c. 1520-1525 National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C.
About this artwork
This oil painting on wood panel depicts a narrative scene set against an expansive, idealized landscape featuring a fortified city. It is attributed to the artist known as the Master of the Kress Landscapes, identified as Giovanni Larciani.
Did you know?
Giovanni Larciani was long known only by his provisional name, the 'Master of the Kress Landscapes', before scholarly research finally identified him through a signature on a similar work. The painting reflects the transition toward the increasingly imaginative, idealized landscapes popular in 16th-century Italy, where distant cities were depicted as serene, dreamlike backdrops for human activity.
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Scenes from a Legend
Giovanni Larciani, c. 1520-1525
