Artwork
Maria med Jesus og Johannes
Maria med Jesus og Johannes is an oil painting by Unknown. It is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.
About this work
Overview
The oil painting titled "Maria med Jesus og Johannes" presents a tranquil domestic tableau. A woman, presumed to be Mary, holds a child in her lap while a young boy, likely John the Baptist, stands nearby, interacting with a lamb. The composition is set against a distant landscape of trees, structures, and a cloud‑filled sky, rendered in a muted palette.
Subject & Meaning
The central figures embody a traditional Christian motif: the Virgin Mary with the infant Jesus, accompanied by John the Baptist, whose gesture toward the lamb alludes to his role as the forerunner of Christ. The gentle interaction suggests themes of innocence, devotion, and the prophetic link between the two children.
Technique & Style
The artist employs chiaroscuro to model the forms, allowing light to carve the figures from a darker background. Subtle gradations of tone create a sense of volume, while the contrast between illuminated faces and shadowed drapery adds visual tension. The overall handling of oil paint is smooth, with careful blending in the landscape.
History & Provenance
The work is part of the collection of Statens Museum. No further details about its creation date, artist, or acquisition are provided in the source material.
Context
The painting aligns with Northern European devotional art that often situates sacred figures within everyday settings. The inclusion of a lamb and the modest domestic interior reflects a common iconographic approach to make the holy narrative accessible to viewers.
Artist & collection
Domestic Scene
Giacomo and Cardinal Marco, investing Andrea, Abbot of San Zeno, with his Benefice
The Nymph of Fontainebleau
Portrait of a Woman
Madonna and Child with Saints in the Enclosed Garden
Venus and Minerva
Family Group of Four on Sofa
Wall painting from Room H of the Villa of P. Fannius Synistor at Boscoreale
Lepohetki pakomatkalla Egyptiin
Madonna and Child and the Infant Saint John in a Landscape
The Virgin and Child with Saints Elizabeth and John
Virgin and Child, with Saint Dorothy
Virgin and Child with Saint Anne
The Madonna and Child with a Female Saint and the Infant Saint John the Baptist
Madonna and Child with the Infant Saint John the Baptist
Rest on the Flight into Egypt
Mistic Marriage of Saint Catherine
La Virgen del canastillo