* Giovanni Battista Tiepolo Venice 1696 - 1770 Madrid

Bernard Aikema was the first to publish the present painting (see Literature below).  He dates the work to circa 1726-29 and relates it to two drawings by Giambattista, one in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, where the head of the Madonna appears in the same position and the other in Copenhagen, where the Christ child is practically identical.  In a private communication, Antonio Morassi considers the present painting to be an "enchanting work by Giambattista Tiepolo" and dates it to circa 1720-1725 just before the artist's departure for Udine. 

In a letter dated October 1961, Antonio Morassi confirms the present painting to be by Tiepolo and dates it to the period between 1720-1725, just prior to the artist's departure for Udine.  He also compares it to the large painting of Ulysses discovering Achilles between the daughters of Lycomedes in Castelgomberto.

The present painting belongs to a series of works by Giambattista for Sacre Conversazioni, which are altar pieces depicting the Madonna and Child with two or more saints in an intimate setting.