Who painted The Virgin and Child with St Anne?

The Virgin and Child with St Anne was painted by Lucas Cranach the Elder in 1515.

Where can I see The Virgin and Child with St Anne?

The Virgin and Child with St Anne is held by Gemäldegalerie Berlin.

What movement is The Virgin and Child with St Anne?

The Virgin and Child with St Anne is associated with Northern Renaissance.

Artwork

The Virgin and Child with St Anne

Lucas Cranach the Elder , 1515

The Virgin and Child with St Anne is an oil painting by the Northern Renaissance artist Lucas Cranach the Elder. It dates from 1515 and is held in the collection of the Gemäldegalerie Berlin.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1515, this oil on panel by Lucas Cranach the Elder depicts a devotional scene featuring the Virgin Mary, the infant Christ, and Saint Anne. The composition is housed in Berlin’s Gemäldegalerie, where it is displayed among the museum’s Northern Renaissance holdings.

Subject & Meaning

The central figure is the Virgin holding the newborn Jesus, while the older woman, identified as Saint Anne, watches tenderly. The interaction—Anne’s hand reaching toward the child’s foot—emphasizes familial intimacy and the theological link between generations of holy women, underscoring themes of maternal devotion and lineage.

Technique & Style

Cranach employs a restrained chiaroscuro, using subtle contrasts of light and shadow to model the figures against a dark blue wall. The garments are rendered with meticulous attention to the folds and drapery, and the infant’s modest white cloth adds a delicate focal point. The overall palette combines muted earth tones with vivid reds and greens.

History & Provenance

Since its completion in the early sixteenth century, the work has remained in German collections, ultimately entering the Gemäldegalerie in Berlin. Its presence there reflects the museum’s focus on German Renaissance art and provides a reference point for Cranach’s prolific output during his mature period.