Who painted Crowned Man on a Throne with the Virgin Standing at the left?

Crowned Man on a Throne with the Virgin Standing at the left was painted by German 15th Century in 1479.

Where can I see Crowned Man on a Throne with the Virgin Standing at the left?

Crowned Man on a Throne with the Virgin Standing at the left is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Crowned Man on a Throne with the Virgin Standing at the left?

Crowned Man on a Throne with the Virgin Standing at the left is associated with Renaissance.

Artwork

Crowned Man on a Throne with the Virgin Standing at the left

German 15th Century , 1479

Crowned Man on a Throne with the Virgin Standing at the left is an ink print by the Renaissance artist German 15th Century. It dates from 1479 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

The work is a hand‑colored woodcut depicting a crowned figure seated on a throne, accompanied by a standing woman in a blue garment holding a child. Behind them a modest building with a green roof and a solitary figure on a bench are rendered in flat, vivid hues of red, yellow and blue.

Subject & Meaning

The central male figure, crowned and wearing a tall pointed hat, suggests a regal or ecclesiastical authority, while the woman and child evoke a maternal or divine relationship, possibly referencing the Virgin Mary and the infant Jesus. The surrounding German inscription presents a moral contrast between good and evil, framing the scene as an allegorical lesson.

Technique & Style

Executed as a woodcut, the image was carved in relief on a wooden block, inked, and pressed onto paper before being hand‑colored. The composition relies on sharp, unmodulated lines and a lack of chiaroscuro, characteristic of early printmaking, producing a graphic, two‑dimensional appearance with bold, flat color fields.

Context

Woodcuts of this type were common in the late medieval and early modern periods for devotional and didactic purposes, often distributed as part of pamphlets or illustrated books. The inclusion of a German moral text aligns the piece with the tradition of using visual art to reinforce religious and ethical instruction.