Sacred Allegory by Giovanni Bellini

The left part of Giovanni Bellini’s painting “Sacred Allegory” is presented. The size of the picture is 73 x 119 cm, wood, oil. A significant, although not leading place in the work of the late Bellini is occupied by those compositions usually associated with some poetic work or religious legend, with which the Venetians were fond. Such is the painting “Sacred Allegory”, or the so-called “Lake Madonna”, inspired by a French poem of the 14th century. In silvery soft light against the background of calmly majestic and somewhat harsh mountains, rising above the motionless deep grayish-blue waters of the lake, the figures of saints located on the marble open terrace appear.

In the center of the terrace is placed an orange tree in a tub, around it are several naked babies. To the left of them, leaning on the marble of the balustrade, stands the deeply revered elder, the apostle Peter. Next to him, raising his sword, stands a black-bearded man dressed in crimson-red mantle, probably the Apostle Paul. What are they thinking about? Why and where are the old Elder Jerome, dark bronze from sunburn, and thoughtful naked Sebastian?