Artwork
The Virgin and Child
The Virgin and Child is a paint painting by the High Renaissance artist Giovanni Antonio Boltraffio. It dates from 1500 and is held in the collection of the Gemäldegalerie Berlin.
About this work
Overview
The Virgin and Child is a painting created by Giovanni Antonio Boltraffio around 1500. It is a representation of the Virgin Mary and the Christ Child, executed in paint on an unspecified surface.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts Mary holding the Christ Child, with a red book in her left hand and a serene expression. The Christ Child is naked, holding a red flower. The scene conveys a mood of quiet contemplation, characteristic of religious art from the period.
Technique & Style
The work features a dark background with glimpses of landscape scenes behind Mary's head and shoulders, rendered in shades of blue and brown. Boltraffio's style, influenced by his training in Leonardo da Vinci's studio, is evident in the gentle expression and the overall composition.
History & Provenance
The painting is now held in the Gemäldegalerie Berlin. Boltraffio, a member of an aristocratic Milanese family, was active during the High Renaissance and trained alongside other notable artists, including Bernardino Luini.
Artist & collection
Artist
Giovanni Antonio Boltraffio (or Beltraffio) (1466 or 1467 – 1516) was an Italian painter of the High Renaissance from Lombardy, who worked in the studio of Leonardo da Vinci.
