Artwork

A Virgem do Leite

A Virgem do Leite, by Unknown, oil, 1500
A Virgem do Leite, by Unknown, oil, 1500

A Virgem do Leite is an oil painting by the Northern Renaissance artist Unknown. It dates from 1500 and is held in the collection of the National Museum of Ancient Art.

About this work

Overview

A Virgem do Leite is a painting executed in oil paint, depicting a tender scene between a woman and a baby.

Subject & Meaning

The painting shows a woman, likely the Virgin Mary, dressed in a red robe and black underdress, holding a naked baby, probably the Christ Child, wrapped in a white cloth around the waist. The woman's gentle touch on the baby's chest suggests a maternal and intimate moment.

Technique & Style

The work is characterized by its warm, golden background and attention to detail in the figures' clothing and interaction. The style is reminiscent of Rogier van der Weyden, a Flemish painter known for realistic and detailed depictions of religious scenes.

Artist & collection

Artist

Unknown

entity whose identity is not known