Artwork
Madonna
Madonna is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Pieter Jozef Verhaghen. It dates from 1728 and is held in the collection of the Groeningemuseum.
About this work
Overview
This oil painting, titled 'Madonna', depicts a serene scene of a woman and child. Created by Pieter Jozef Verhaghen, it is a representative work of the Flemish School's late period.
Subject & Meaning
The painting shows a woman in a red dress holding a naked baby, set against a backdrop of a tree and buildings. The intimate pose and gentle expressions convey a quiet, tender moment between the two figures, traditionally identified as the Virgin Mary and the Christ Child.
Technique & Style
The artist's use of chiaroscuro is evident in the soft shadows on the woman's face and the baby's skin, demonstrating a careful handling of light. The overall effect is characteristic of the Baroque tradition, continued by Verhaghen into the late 18th century.
History & Provenance
Painted in 1728, 'Madonna' is a work by Pieter Jozef Verhaghen, a Flemish painter active from the early 18th century until 1811. The painting is now part of the Groeningemuseum's collection.
Artist & collection
Artist
Pieter-Jozef Verhaghen (19 March 1728 in Aarschot – 3 April 1811 in Leuven) was a Flemish painter of large-scale religious and mythological scenes.
