Artwork
Madonna del Latte (Bergognone, Carrara)
Madonna del Latte (Bergognone, Carrara) is a tempera painting by the Early Renaissance artist Ambrogio Bergognone. It dates from 1493 and is held in the collection of the Accademia Carrara.
About this work
Overview
Madonna del Latte, created by Ambrogio Bergognone in 1493, is a tempera painting portraying the Nursing Madonna. It is housed in the Accademia Carrara collection.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts a Nursing Madonna, emphasizing maternal intimacy. The Madonna, with long brown hair and adorned in a blue robe and white shawl, nurses a naked infant. A gold halo surrounds her head, signifying her sanctity. The serene scene unfolds against a lush garden backdrop, complete with trees, flowers, a stone archway, and a distant building with a tower set beneath a blue sky.
Technique & Style
Executed in tempera, the work reflects early Renaissance artistic practices. Bergognone's use of tempera allowed for detailed, flat forms, characteristic of the period's devotional art.
History & Provenance
Created in 1493 by Ambrogio Bergognone, an Italian Renaissance painter primarily active in and around Milan, Madonna del Latte is now part of the Accademia Carrara's collection.
Context
As an early Renaissance piece, Madonna del Latte situates itself within the revival of classical influences and the emergence of more naturalistic and intimate depictions of religious subjects, common in Northern Italian art of the time.
Legacy
While specific lasting impacts of Madonna del Latte on subsequent art are not broadly documented, it contributes to the broader legacy of Renaissance devotional art, influencing later representations of the Madonna.
Artist & collection
Artist
Ambrogio Bergognone (variously known as Ambrogio da Fossano, Ambrogio di Stefano da Fossano, Ambrogio Stefani da Fossano or as il Bergognone or Ambrogio Egogni, c.
