Artwork
Madonna and Child Enthroned with Angels
Madonna and Child Enthroned with Angels is an unspecified painting by the Mannerist artist Luini Bernardino. It is held in the collection of the Brooklyn Museum.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1575, *Madonna and Child Enthroned with Angels* is a religious painting by the North Italian artist Bernardino Luini. Executed during the Mannerist period, the work presents the Virgin Mary seated on a throne, holding the infant Jesus, surrounded by a group of six angels who either play instruments or gesture toward the central figures.
Subject & Meaning
The composition emphasizes the sacred bond between mother and child, a theme common in Renaissance devotional art. The angels serve both as attendants and as visual symbols of heavenly praise, reinforcing the painting’s function as a focal point for prayer and contemplation.
Technique & Style
Luini employs a chiaroscuro effect, with a soft, upward light that illuminates the figures against a darkened background. The palette is dominated by deep reds, blues, and gold, while the elongated eyes of the figures reflect the distinctive “Luinesque” manner that links his work to Leonardo da Vinci’s circle.
History & Provenance
The painting was historically misattributed to Leonardo because of its stylistic affinities with the master’s workshop. Over time, scholarship has clarified Luini’s authorship, situating the work within his broader output of religious subjects.
Context
Luini’s career unfolded during the High Renaissance, yet this piece aligns with the later Mannerist aesthetic, marked by graceful elongation and heightened emotional expression. The inclusion of musical angels and the golden arch framing the scene echo contemporary devotional trends in Northern Italy.
Artist & collection
Artist
Bernardino Luini (c. 1480/82 – June 1532) was a north Italian painter from Leonardo's circle during the High Renaissance. Both Luini and Giovanni Antonio Boltraffio were said to have worked with Leonardo directly; he…
The Virgin and Child Enthroned with Saints Cosmas and Damian, Saint Eustace and Saint George in the Background
The Virgin and Child enthroned with Saints Cosmas and Damian with St Eustace and Saint George in the background
The Virgin and Child
madonna in trono col bambino e santi
The Virgin and Child with Saint John the Baptist
The Holy Family with Saints John the Baptist and Elizabeth
The Virgin Nursing the Child with Saint John the Baptist in Adoration attributed to Giampietrino
Virgin and Child Enthroned
A Virgem Maria e o Menino Jesus com Anjos
The Holy Family
Maria met kind. Het kind speelt met de sluier
Enthroned Madonna and Child with Angel