Who painted Saint Anne with the Madonna and Child?

Saint Anne with the Madonna and Child was painted by German 15th Century in 1470.

Where can I see Saint Anne with the Madonna and Child?

Saint Anne with the Madonna and Child is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Saint Anne with the Madonna and Child?

Saint Anne with the Madonna and Child is associated with Renaissance.

Artwork

Saint Anne with the Madonna and Child

German 15th Century , 1470

Saint Anne with the Madonna and Child is an ink print by the Renaissance artist German 15th Century. It dates from 1470 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

The print depicts three holy figures arranged closely: a woman holding an infant on the left, a child in the centre reaching toward a third figure on the right, who is dressed in a green robe. Each figure is encircled by a golden halo, and the simple background contains stylised trees and flowers. The composition is outlined in bright yellow, green and red pigments applied by hand.

Subject & Meaning

The central theme is the veneration of Saint Anne, mother of the Virgin Mary, shown alongside the Madonna and Child. The gesture of the child reaching toward the figure in green suggests a devotional connection between the generations, emphasizing familial piety and the transmission of faith.

Technique & Style

Executed as a woodcut, the image was created by carving the design into a wooden block, inking the surface, and pressing it onto paper. After printing, the work was hand‑coloured with vivid pigments—yellow, green and red—highlighting the garments and border, a common practice in early European printmaking to enhance visual impact.

History & Provenance

The piece is identified by the inscription "Anna mar" at the top, a truncated reference to Saint Anne. While the specific date and artist are not recorded, the hand‑coloured woodcut format places it within the tradition of devotional prints circulated in the late medieval to early modern period.

Context

Such prints served both as objects of private devotion and as instructional images for the faithful. The inclusion of Saint Anne alongside the Virgin and Child reflects the growing cult of Anne in the centuries following the medieval period, when her role as the matriarch of the Holy Family gained prominence.