The Bass Rock floats overhead of the Madonna and Child showing the viewer what the Madonna is gazing out at, splitting the plane of the image and heightening the sense of distance and mystery around the rock. The baby in the Madonna’s arms looks out at the viewer, with similarly enlarged almond shaped eyes and exaggeratedly rouged cheeks. The split narrative and the flatness of the image takes inspiration form early Renaissance frescoes which depicted narratives as different scenes side by side, or on top one another. The movement of the gazes in the image give and intensity to the painting, as well as the saturated colours. Despite the almost cartoon-esque depiction of the figures, the Madonna’s gaze retains a seriousness and feeling of importance, or awe as she gazes at the rock.
Perhaps the Bass Rock is familiar to you? If so, can you think back to how it made you feel looking out towards it?
John Bellany (1942-2013)
Born in the fishing village of Port Seton in 1942. He studied at Edinburgh College of Art in the early ‘60s, and later attended the Royal College of Art in London. Much of his work focuses around ideas from Christianity and Calvinism, such as original sin, guilt, sex and death, often situating biblical figures into the settings of his home town and depicting normal human lives. His work is featured in major collections such as the MoMA, New York and Tate Britain.