Who painted The Virgin, Holding a Pear, with the Child?

The Virgin, Holding a Pear, with the Child was painted by Sebald Beham in 1520.

Where can I see The Virgin, Holding a Pear, with the Child?

The Virgin, Holding a Pear, with the Child is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is The Virgin, Holding a Pear, with the Child?

The Virgin, Holding a Pear, with the Child is associated with Renaissance.

Artwork

The Virgin, Holding a Pear, with the Child

Sebald Beham , 1520

The Virgin, Holding a Pear, with the Child is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Sebald Beham. It dates from 1520 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Sebald Beham’s 1520 engraving depicts the Virgin Mary cradling a pear while holding the infant Jesus. Executed on a modestly sized copper plate, the image presents a quiet, intimate encounter between mother and child, rendered with precise linear detail characteristic of early German printmaking.

Subject & Meaning

The pear functions as a symbolic element, traditionally associated with the fall of man and the promise of redemption, thereby linking the infant’s presence to theological ideas of salvation. Mary’s gentle gaze toward her son underscores the devotional focus on maternal tenderness and the incarnation.

Technique & Style

Beham employed fine, controlled lines to model forms, using cross‑hatching to suggest volume and subtle shading. The engraving’s restrained composition and smooth contours reflect the “Little Masters” aesthetic, where meticulous detail and compact scale convey a serene, contemplative atmosphere without reliance on elaborate ornamentation.

History & Provenance

A native of Nuremberg, Beham produced roughly 250 prints, ranging from religious subjects to mythological scenes, before relocating to Frankfurt later in his career. This work belongs to his early period, when he was establishing his reputation for intricate, small‑format engravings that circulated among collectors of the German Renaissance.