Artwork
Virgin and Child with a Spindle
Virgin and Child with a Spindle is a paint painting by the Mannerist artist Luis de Morales. It dates from 1567 and is held in the collection of the Gemäldegalerie Berlin.
About this work
Overview
Luis de Morales, a Spanish painter of the mid‑16th century often called “El Divino,” executed the oil painting Virgin and Child with a Spindle in 1567. The work belongs to the Spanish Renaissance and is presently displayed in the Gemäldegalerie in Berlin.
Subject & Meaning
The composition presents a seated Virgin holding the infant Christ on her lap. She is dressed in a red gown with a green shawl draped over her left shoulder, while the child, nude, grasps a slender spindle in his right hand. Both figures display tranquil expressions, suggesting a contemplative exchange between mother and son.
Technique & Style
Morales combines meticulous surface rendering with a heightened sense of devotion, a hallmark of his mature style. Influences from Raphael and the Lombard followers of Leonardo appear in the softened modeling of faces and the subtle chiaroscuro that isolates the figures against a dark backdrop, creating a luminous focus.
History & Provenance
Created during a prolific period when Morales produced numerous Marian images, the painting entered the Berlin collection in the early 20th century. Its acquisition reflects the broader European interest in Spanish Renaissance art, which was then being reassessed alongside Italian and Flemish works.
Artist & collection
Artist
Luis de Morales (1509 – 9 May 1586) was a Spanish painter active during the Spanish Renaissance in the 16th century.
