\paperw19995 \margr0\margl0 \plain \fs20 \f1 This painting is a fragment of the \i San Cassiano Altarpiece\i0 , painted by Antonello da Messina during his stay in Venice
.\par
The Virgin, seated on a high throne, is surrounded by Saints Nicholas, Mary Magdalen, Dominic and Ursula. They are arranged in a semicircle around the VirginÆs throne, to give a sense of space and naturalness to what would otherwise be a tightly-
packed composition.\par
This unique arrangement is combined with the uniformity that the golden light imparts to the painting as a whole. The artist has applied geometric synthesis and expert use of perspective to every detail: from the perfect oval of
the VirginÆs face to the book with three golden balls held by St. Nicholas and the hand of the infant Jesus.\par
To these are added a number of optical subtleties in the Flemish manner, such as the transparency of the MagdalenÆs glass and the elegant c
lothing of the Virgin, which restore a sense of reality to a representation that is perhaps too geometric.\par
Other novel features of the work lie in the perfect balance of light and color, both very serene in their effect; in the rich coloring that br
ings out the golden backdrop of the VirginÆs dress; and finally in the artistÆs incomparable skill that is evident in the transparency of St. NicholasÆs crosier and the pearls and precious stones that adorn the figure of Mary Magdalen.
