Who painted Divine Infant with the Globe in a Circle with Four Angels?

Divine Infant with the Globe in a Circle with Four Angels was painted by Netherlandish 15th Century.

Where can I see Divine Infant with the Globe in a Circle with Four Angels?

Divine Infant with the Globe in a Circle with Four Angels is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Divine Infant with the Globe in a Circle with Four Angels?

Divine Infant with the Globe in a Circle with Four Angels is associated with Renaissance.

Artwork

Divine Infant with the Globe in a Circle with Four Angels

Netherlandish 15th Century

Divine Infant with the Globe in a Circle with Four Angels is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Netherlandish 15th Century. It is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. The work is a black‑and‑white woodcut print depicting a small child clutching a globe at the centre of a circular composition.

About this work

Overview

The work is a black‑and‑white woodcut print depicting a small child clutching a globe at the centre of a circular composition. Four winged figures stand just beyond the circle’s edge, framing the infant. The surrounding field is filled with a repetitive motif of leaves and swirling forms that contain the scene within a decorative border.

Subject & Meaning

The central figure is rendered as a youthful, divine personage, traditionally interpreted as the infant Jesus, holding a globe that symbolizes his universal sovereignty. The surrounding angels, suggested by their wings, serve as celestial attendants, reinforcing the theological theme of the Christ child’s dominion over the world.

Technique & Style

Executed as a woodcut, the image was created by carving the design into a wooden block, inking the raised surfaces, and pressing the block onto paper. The stark contrast of black lines against white paper emphasizes the linear outlines and decorative patterns, characteristic of early printmaking that relied on bold, graphic delineation.

History & Provenance

The print belongs to the broader tradition of religious woodcuts produced for devotional use in the pre‑modern period. While specific details of its origin, date, or ownership are not recorded, such works were commonly circulated in Europe as affordable images for private contemplation and liturgical contexts.

Context

The composition reflects the iconographic conventions of medieval and Renaissance art, where the infant Christ is often shown holding a globe to denote his role as ruler of the cosmos. The inclusion of four angels aligns with symbolic numerology, representing the four cardinal directions and the universality of the divine message.