Artwork
Madonna and Child
Madonna and Child is a paint painting by the High Renaissance artist Lorenzo di Credi. It dates from 1508 and is held in the collection of the Gemäldegalerie Berlin. Created circa 1508, this oil painting presents the Virgin Mary cradling the infant Christ.
About this work
Overview
Created circa 1508, this oil painting presents the Virgin Mary cradling the infant Christ. The figures are set against a calm, rolling landscape that recedes into a distant structure, establishing a quiet, intimate atmosphere. The work is part of the collection of the Gemäldegalerie in Berlin, representing an example of early 16th‑century Florentine religious art.
Subject & Meaning
The composition follows the traditional Madonna and Child motif, emphasizing maternal tenderness. Mary, clothed in a red garment with a white veil, looks down at her son, whose small hand grasps a red object that may symbolize the apple of the Fall, hinting at theological themes of redemption and innocence.
Technique & Style
Executed in oil on panel, the painting displays the balanced arrangement and naturalistic detail characteristic of the High Renaissance. Soft modeling of flesh, delicate chiaroscuro, and a harmonious palette convey three‑dimensionality, while the landscape background employs atmospheric perspective to suggest depth without distracting from the central figures.
History & Provenance
Lorenzo di Credi, a Florentine painter who trained in Andrea del Verrocchio’s workshop alongside Leonardo da Vinci, produced the work during his mature period. After remaining in private hands for several centuries, the painting entered the Berlin Gemäldegalerie’s collection in the early 20th century, where it remains on display.
Artist & collection
Artist
Lorenzo di Credi (1456/59 – January 12, 1537) was an Italian Renaissance painter and sculptor best known for his paintings of religious subjects, and portraits.
