Artwork
Madonna with Sleeping Child
Madonna with Sleeping Child is an oil painting by the Mannerist artist Paris Bordone. It dates from 1550 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. Created circa 1550, this oil painting portrays the Virgin Mary cradling a sleeping infant Christ.
About this work
Overview
Created circa 1550, this oil painting portrays the Virgin Mary cradling a sleeping infant Christ. The composition features a richly dressed figure in a red robe and black mantle, her head veiled in yellow, set against a green curtain that opens onto a distant landscape of mountains and clouds.
Subject & Meaning
The work presents a tender moment of maternal devotion, emphasizing the humanity of the Christ child through his naked, peaceful repose. Mary's downward gaze underscores a contemplative intimacy, inviting reflection on the incarnation and the protective role of the mother.
Technique & Style
Executed by a Venetian artist trained under Titian, the painting exhibits Mannerist characteristics such as elongated proportions and refined facial expressions. The handling of oil paint balances delicate modeling with a subtle vigor, evident in the luminous fabrics and the atmospheric background.
History & Provenance
The canvas belongs to the collection of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. Its attribution to Paris Bordone, a prominent figure of the Venetian school, aligns with his known production of religious subjects during the mid‑16th century.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Paris Bordone (Paris Paschalinus Bordone; 5 July 1500 – 19 January 1571) was an Italian painter of the Venetian Renaissance who, despite training with Titian, maintained a strand of Mannerist complexity and provincial vigor.
