Portion of a Predella Representing "The Death of a Virgin" by Nicolò [sic] Gerini, in the Florence Academy 1877

Editor: This is "Portion of a Predella Representing 'The Death of a Virgin' by Nicolò Gerini, in the Florence Academy" by Charles Herbert. The halos feel very medieval, and the colors are striking. What can you tell me about this imitation? Curator: The image points to the 19th century's fascination with earlier art, specifically the Italian primitives. Consider how the Pre-Raphaelites, for instance, looked back to pre-Renaissance art for authenticity. Herbert’s copy speaks to a Victorian desire to revive supposedly purer artistic values. Editor: So it's not just about the aesthetic, but also about what the original represented in its time? Curator: Exactly. Herbert is engaging with the cultural and religious meanings embedded within the original, filtered through a 19th-century lens. It reveals as much about Victorian England's artistic ideals as it does about the Italian Renaissance. Editor: I never thought about it that way, it's like looking at two periods at once. Thanks!