Artwork
Madonna and Child with St. Anne.
Madonna and Child with St. Anne. is an oil painting by the Northern Renaissance artist Hans Memling. It dates from 1490 and is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections.
About this work
Overview
The composition centers on a seated Virgin holding the infant Christ, flanked by an older woman identified as St.
Hans Memling’s Madonna and Child with St. Anne, executed in oil around 1490, presents a quiet devotional grouping typical of the Northern Renaissance. The composition centers on a seated Virgin holding the infant Christ, flanked by an older woman identified as St. Anne. The figures rest before an elaborately carved stone chair, rendered with meticulous detail, and the work now belongs to the collection of the Alte Pinakothek in Munich.
Subject & Meaning
The painting brings together three generations of holy women: Mary, the mother of Jesus; the infant Christ, depicted nude to emphasize his humanity; and St. Anne, his grandmother, often shown as a source of wisdom. Anne’s book suggests contemplation or the transmission of sacred knowledge, while the tender interaction between mother and child underscores themes of maternal devotion and divine incarnation.
Technique & Style
Memling employs the luminous qualities of oil paint to achieve subtle modelling of flesh and rich, saturated fabrics. Mary’s red dress and blue cloak contrast with the darker tones of Anne’s robe, creating visual hierarchy. The intricate carving on the stone chair demonstrates the artist’s attention to surface texture, a hallmark of the detailed realism characteristic of late 15th‑century Netherlandish art.
History & Provenance
Created near the end of Memling’s career, the work reflects the patronage networks of the Burgundian court. It entered the Bavarian royal collection in the 19th century and was transferred to the Alte Pinakothek, where it has been displayed as part of the museum’s holdings of Northern Renaissance painting.
Artist & collection
Artist
Hans Memling was a German-Flemish painter who worked in the tradition of Early Netherlandish painting.
![Saint Veronica [obverse], by Hans Memling](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/hans-memling--saint-veronica-obverse--5a649fd8b09c96b9-w320.webp)
![The Saint Anne Altarpiece: Saint Anne with the Virgin and Child [middle panel], by Gerard David](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/gerard-david--the-saint-anne-altarpiece-saint-anne-with-the-virgin-and-chi--781e919f9012a004-w320.webp)
