Artwork
The Madonna della Scodella
The Madonna della Scodella is an ink print by the Baroque artist Annibale Carracci. It dates from 1606 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1606, the print titled *Madonna della Scodella* is an etching with engraving on laid paper by Annibale Carracci.
Created in 1606, the print titled *Madonna della Scodella* is an etching with engraving on laid paper by Annibale Carracci. Executed in black and white, it presents a compact grouping of three figures rendered with delicate line work. The composition reflects Carracci’s early Baroque sensibility, merging classical restraint with a sense of movement that anticipates later developments in religious imagery.
Subject & Meaning
The image shows a bearded man, a woman with loosely curled hair, and an infant. The man raises his hand in a gesture that can be read as a blessing or instruction, while the woman holds a bowl toward which the child reaches. The simple drapery and sparse background focus attention on the intimate interaction, suggesting a devotional scene that emphasizes piety and maternal care.
Technique & Style
Carracci employed a combination of etching and engraving, allowing him to vary line density and achieve fine textures in hair and fabric. The laid paper surface captures subtle tonal shifts through cross‑hatching, while the engraving adds sharper contours to define the figures. This hybrid approach illustrates the artist’s mastery of printmaking methods that were gaining prominence in early seventeenth‑century Italy.
History & Provenance
Working first in Bologna before moving to Rome, Carracci directed a workshop at the Palazzo Farnese where he trained a generation of artists. *Madonna della Scodella* originates from this period of his career, reflecting the religious commissions that shaped his output. The print has survived in several collections, documenting the spread of his print designs beyond the original workshop.
Own this work as a print
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.
Madonna and Child with Saints Elizabeth and John the Baptist (La Madonna della Scodella)
The Virgin and Child with Saint John
Madonna with the Bowl
Virgin with the Bowl
LA SAINTE VIERGE
The Holy Family with Saint Anne
The Virgin and Child with a Bird
The Virgin and Infant Jesus
Virgin and Child
The Virgin and Child with a Bird
The Holy Family
The Holy Family with Saint John the Baptist