Artwork

Maria mit Kind und Heiligen (Schule)

Maria mit Kind und Heiligen (Schule), by Correggio, unspecified, 1511
Maria mit Kind und Heiligen (Schule), by Correggio, unspecified, 1511

Maria mit Kind und Heiligen (Schule) is an unspecified painting by the Early Renaissance artist Correggio. It dates from 1511 and is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections.

About this work

Overview

The figures are rendered in subdued lighting that models their forms with gentle transitions between light and shadow.

Antonio da Correggio’s early work, dated to 1511, presents a devotional scene now housed in Munich’s Alte Pinakothek. The composition centers on a seated woman cradling an infant, flanked by two male figures—one bearded elder leaning forward and a winged, bearded presence on the right. The figures are rendered in subdued lighting that models their forms with gentle transitions between light and shadow.

Subject & Meaning

The central pair is traditionally identified as the Virgin Mary and the Christ Child, surrounded by a saintly attendant and an angelic figure. The inclusion of the older bearded man suggests a saint or donor, while the winged figure functions as an angelic messenger, reinforcing the painting’s role as a visual prayer for intercession.

Technique & Style

Correggio employs a nascent chiaroscuro, allowing illumination to glide across the faces and flesh, producing a soft, almost luminous quality. The gradual modulation of tone gives the figures a three‑dimensional presence, while the restrained palette and muted background focus attention on the intimate interaction between mother and child.

History & Provenance

Created in the early 16th century, the work entered the collection of the Alte Pinakothek, one of Germany’s foremost art museums. Its acquisition reflects the 19th‑century interest in Italian Renaissance paintings, and it remains a representative example of Correggio’s formative period within the museum’s holdings.

Artist & collection

Portrait of Correggio

Artist

Correggio

Antonio Allegri da Correggio (August 1489 – 5 March 1534), usually known as just Correggio (, also UK: , US: , Italian: ), was an Italian Renaissance painter who was the foremost painter of the Parma school of the High…