Artwork
Madonna and Child
Madonna and Child is an unspecified painting by the Mannerist artist Ambrogio Bergognone. It dates from 1512 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. The work depicts the Virgin Mary holding the infant Jesus beside a window that opens onto a cityscape threaded with canals.
About this work
Overview
The work depicts the Virgin Mary holding the infant Jesus beside a window that opens onto a cityscape threaded with canals. The child is seated on a wooden bench, grasping a string of beads, while an open book and a few pieces of fruit rest on the windowsill. The composition conveys a tranquil domestic moment, illuminated by soft, natural light.
Subject & Meaning
The painting presents a traditional religious theme—the Madonna and Child—set within an intimate interior. The inclusion of everyday objects such as the book, fruit, and beads suggests contemplation, learning, and the sweetness of childhood, linking the sacred figures to ordinary life.
Technique & Style
The artist employs a subtle chiaroscuro, allowing light from the window to model the figures and interior surfaces. The handling of texture—wooden bench, glass, and fruit—demonstrates careful observation, while the muted palette reinforces the quiet atmosphere.
History & Provenance
The piece is unsigned, leaving the creator unidentified. Its stylistic traits align with Northern European devotional paintings of the 16th‑17th centuries, though no documented ownership record accompanies the work.
Context
Depicting the Madonna in a domestic setting with a view of a canal city reflects a period when religious imagery was increasingly merged with everyday environments, making the holy figures more accessible to contemporary viewers.
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.
