Department: Ruskin

Ruskin bought Verrocchio's original painting for the Guild of St George in 1877, describing it as ‘an entirely priceless painting, exemplary for all time’. It became a key work in the original St George’s Museum He regarded it as a model of careful workmanship, and drew peoples’ attention particularly to the golden decoration on the Madonna’s gown. Verrocchio embodied for Ruskin the ultimate craftsman, able to combine his multiple talents as a sculptor, painter and goldsmith. The Guild of St George commissioned this re-creation as an investigation into the original appearance of Verrocchio's painting. Abraham's work is a reconstruction, rather than a copy, as the original painting of about 1470 is now faded and worn. To carry out her exploration, Philippa Abrahams studied early Italian texts on painting, and used tools, materials and colour pigments as close as possible to those that Verrocchio himself would have used.

Display Location: Millennium Gallery