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The Virgin of the Fly

Toro, Alfoz de Toro, Zamora

1 Villages · 4 Monuments · 1 Nature · 1 Curiosities · 2 Historical milestones · 1 Food and drink

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The Virgin of the Fly

Curiosity · Toro, Alfoz de Toro, Zamora

The Virgin of the Fly is an oil panel measuring 92 by 79 centimetres kept in the sacristy of the Collegiate Church of Toro, with no documentation to clarify its origin. It owes its name to the insect -musca depicta- painted with such realism on the red of the Virgin's mantle that it forms a trompe-l'œil, a display of virtuosity that made it famous. The scene, a sacred conversation with the enthroned Virgin and Child, includes an unidentified saint, the Magdalene and a seated figure identified as Santa Catalina, although her features recall Isabella the Catholic. Attributed to Michel Sittow, Fernando Gallego or the circle of Gerard David, a 1966 restoration dated it between 1518 and 1525, already in the 16th century; a later study attributes it to the Master of la Santa Sangre.

Photo: Attributed to Gerard David / Circle of Jan Gossaert (Public domain)

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