Free downloadable Renaissance Catholic paintings in the public domain.
The Madonna of Humility, an extremely popular subject in Flanders, sits on the ground on a cushion, presenting the haloed Christ Child in her arms. A crescent visible below her skirts at the left symbolizes the moon on which the Virgin stands in representations of the Immaculate Conception. The open...
The mood is one of lavish ceremony, as Christ places an ornate gold crown upon the Virgin Mary’s slightly bowed head. Groups of musical angels watch from either side as she is crowned Queen of Heaven. Gentile da Fabriano used extensive tooling, pastiglia (areas of raised gesso which is...
The son of Fra Filippo Lippi, Filippino began his training as a very young boy in his father's workshop. Documents record a partial payment he received in 1469 for the frescoes in the apse of the duomo in Spoleto, whose execution, interrupted by Fra Filippo's death...
The special mixture of reality, fantasy, and virtuosity that is particular to early Netherlandish painting is nowhere more apparent than in this exquisite panel. In an episode from the popular legend, Saint George in black Gothic armor pins the dragon to the ground with his lance; at the left kneels...
Jesus hangs on the cross, his attenuated arms stretched far apart. He looks down at his grieving mother, whose flowing draperies emphasize her swooning posture. By depicting him with an elongated torso, uncomfortably crossed legs, and an elegantly drooping head, the artist emphasized Jesus' human suffering and frailty. The...
The Virgin Mary, enthroned as Queen of Heaven, is surrounded by angels, some in attitudes of prayer, others playing musical instruments and singing. Twisting in his mother’s lap, the infant Christ reaches for a lily, a symbol of Mary’s purity, and clutches a goldfinch, an allusion to his...
This side wing and its companion were once part of an altarpiece commissioned in 1408 by the confraternity of the Virgin and Saint Stephen for the church of Santo Stefano in Pane, on the outskirts of Florence. The central panel, now in the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, shows the Coronation...
Three boats approach the German city of Cologne where Saint Ursula, on her way back north after a pilgrimage to Rome, was martyred together with her virgin companions. Ursula, identified by her crown and golden halo, sits under a baldachin in the stern of the foreground boat; their imminent arrival...
Three kings pay homage to the Christ Child, who in turn makes a sign of blessing. Jesus Christ, his mother the Virgin Mary, and Mary's husband Joseph have haloes and wear simple garments, while the Magi are dressed in exotic clothing and jewels and bear exquisite gifts. Caspar,...
In this depiction of the lamentation of Christ, Fernando Gallego looked to Northern European paintings for inspiration but included distinctly Spanish elements such as a subdued palette and unidealized figures. Unlike Netherlandish artists who were interested in depicting the natural world in minute detail, Gallego concentrated on the pietà'...
This panel depicts the early Christian saint, Catherine of Alexandria, holding a book and a palm leaf of martyrdom, surrounded by a dozen scenes from her legend. A beautiful and highly intelligent young noble woman, Catherine vowed only to marry if she found a suitor who surpassed her in every...
Lurking in the shadows, grotesque monsters emerge to taunt Saint Anthony, attempting to impede his meditation. Grinning with satanic delight, the demons take human and raptor-like animal forms. Unperturbed, Saint Anthony continues to read his meditations. Divine light illuminates his figure, forming a bright halo around his head. He...
This folding altarpiece depicts Saint Francis receiving the stigmata on the left and an angel crowning Saints Cecilia and Valerian with floral wreaths on the right. Delphine de Signe, an aristocrat living at the court of Naples in the early 1300s, had sworn a vow of virginity. Despite this, a...
God the Father sits enthroned, holding the crucified Christ with the Holy Spirit between them, all three dominating the composition. Together they represent the Trinity, the central doctrine of the Christian faith, in which all three are united as one. This recently discovered altarpiece was carefully designed for the kneeling...
Dosso Dossi depicts Saint George in the aftermath of his legendary battle with the dragon, wielding the creature's bloodied head and the lance broken during the fight. The victorious saint emerges from the darkness as a rainbow breaks through the storm clouds above. Dossi poignantly expressed his subject&...
Frans Francken the Younger (1581 in Antwerp, 1581 – 6 May 1642, in Antwerp) was a Flemish painter and the best-known member of the large Francken family of artists. Francken created altarpieces and painted furniture panels, but his reputation chiefly relies on his small and delicate cabinet pictures with historical,...
Jan Brueghel the Elder (1568 – 13 January 1625) was a Flemish painter and draughtsman. He was the son of the eminent Flemish Renaissance painter Pieter Bruegel the Elder. A close friend and frequent collaborator with Peter Paul Rubens, the two artists were the leading Flemish painters in the first three...
Free downloadable public domain painting.
Free downloadable public domain Catholic painting.
A free downloadable public domain Catholic painting.
A free downloadable public domain Catholic painting.
A free downloadable public domain Catholic painting.
A free downloadable public domain Catholic painting.
A free downloadable public domain Catholic painting.
