Giovanni Bellini's Madonna Sorlini on View Before Restoration

Giovanni Bellini's Madonna in adorazione con bambino dormiente (1470), known as Madonna Sorlini, is currently on display at the Gallerie dell'Accademia in Venice as a last chance to see it before restoration. The work was acquired in 2004 by Brescian entrepreneur and collector Luciano Sorlini. Art historian Roberto Longhi described it as 'Madonna in rosso' in his 1946 book Viatico per cinque secoli di pittura veneziana due to its distinctive red chromaticism. The painting is exhibited in Sala V on the first floor, adjacent to Sala IV dedicated to Bellini's small-format works, allowing comparison of the artist's evolution on the Madonna and Child theme. Bellini abandoned Byzantine models to introduce Renaissance style from Donatello and Mantegna, leading to the Venetian tonalism of Giorgione and Titian. The Madonna is depicted in a soft, elegant mantle with large tapered hands clasped, lips sealed, and eyes lowered toward the sleeping Child, whose pose prefigures the Passion. Red symbolizes mourning, and the drapery evokes a shroud. Blue sky tones enliven the sacred scene. After the exhibition, the painting will move to Giulio Bono's laboratory in Venice, remaining visible until December before restoration begins.