Artwork
Virgin with the Bowl
Virgin with the Bowl is a print by the Renaissance artist Annibale Carracci. It dates from 1606 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1606, *Virgin with the Bowl* is a black‑and‑white print by Annibale Carracci, a pivotal figure in early Baroque art. The work presents a modest domestic scene that centers on a mother and child, accompanied by two other figures, rendered with restrained composition and a muted tonal palette. It belongs to the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure is a woman holding an infant, who reaches toward a nearby child, suggesting an intimate familial interaction. An older man on the left gazes upward, his hand raised in a gesture that may indicate listening or guidance. The simplicity of the clothing and the calm atmosphere emphasize a quiet, devotional moment rather than a narrative episode.
Technique & Style
The restrained line work and tonal gradations reflect the artist’s synthesis of classical balance with the emerging dynamism of Baroque visual language.
Carracci employs a pronounced chiaroscuro, using deep shadows to separate the figures from an unadorned background. This contrast gives the faces and hands a sculptural quality, enhancing the illusion of three‑dimensionality within the print medium. The restrained line work and tonal gradations reflect the artist’s synthesis of classical balance with the emerging dynamism of Baroque visual language.
History & Provenance
Born in Bologna in 1560, Carracci later moved to Rome, where his work helped shape the early Baroque style by merging classical ideals with heightened movement. *Virgin with the Bowl* entered the Cleveland Museum of Art’s holdings, where it remains accessible to scholars and the public as an example of Carracci’s printmaking during his mature period.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Annibale Carracci ( kə-RAH-chee, UK also kə-RATCH-ee, Italian: ; November 3, 1560 – July 15, 1609) was an Italian painter and instructor, active in Bologna and later in Rome.
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