An Intriguing Problem of Northern Italian Renaissance Painting: The Virgin and Child at the D’Amour Museum of Fine Arts

This paper examines an unresolved question of attribution surrounding The Virgin and Child  in the collection of the Michele and Donald D’Amour Museum of Fine Arts, Springfield. The painting has prompted sustained scholarly discussion, and several attributions have been proposed over time. The view that has attracted the widest agreement identifies the artist as Giovanni Antonio Bazzi, a Parma-born painter also documented in Bologna and Reggio Emilia between 1487 and 1518—distinct from his more famous namesake, Giovanni Antonio Bazzi, known as Il Sodoma. The interest of the painting, however, is not limited to questions of authorship. This paper considers its stylistic features and draws attention to several striking details, especially passages of close observation that approach the language of still-life painting. These elements raise broader questions about the work’s artistic context and point to new directions for interpretation and future research. Presented by Alessandro Serrani, Ph.D, Researcher as Marc de Montalembert Prize Winner – École du Louvre, Postdoctoral Researcher – University of Macerata Join us in-person or online! If you plan to attend in person at the Museums, tickets are available on the day of the lecture in the Welcome Center. Members: FREE Springfield residents: $4 Nonmembers: $4 To attend via ZOOM, please register in advance. Online Registration