Artwork
Maria mit Kind mit den hll. Johannes der Täufer und Hieronymus
Maria mit Kind mit den hll. Johannes der Täufer und Hieronymus is an unspecified painting by the Early Renaissance artist Pietro Perugino. It dates from 1492 and is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1492, this tempera on panel by Pietro Perugino presents a devotional grouping of the Virgin Mary holding the infant Christ, accompanied by Saint John the Baptist and Saint Jerome. Executed in the early Renaissance style of the Umbrian school, the work exemplifies the calm, balanced compositions that would later inform High Renaissance aesthetics. It is presently displayed in Munich’s Alte Pinakothek.
Subject & Meaning
The arrangement underscores themes of piety, intercessory prayer, and the continuity of salvation history.
At the center, the Virgin is shown cradling the Christ Child, a traditional motif of maternal devotion. To her left, a youthful figure—identified as John the Baptist—prays with clasped hands, while to her right, the bearded Saint Jerome gently supports the child, symbolizing scholarly intercession. The arrangement underscores themes of piety, intercessory prayer, and the continuity of salvation history.
Technique & Style
Perugino employs a restrained palette dominated by deep, muted tones that set the figures against a darkened backdrop, heightening their three‑dimensional presence. The figures are rendered in smooth, flowing drapery and softened contours, characteristic of the Umbrian emphasis on graceful linearity and serene expression. Subtle modeling of light on the flesh conveys a gentle, almost ethereal quality.
History & Provenance
The painting was completed toward the end of Perugino’s early career and entered various private collections before being acquired by the Bavarian State. It entered the Alte Pinakothek’s holdings in the 19th century, where it remains part of the museum’s Renaissance section, offering insight into the transitional period between early and High Renaissance art.
Artist & collection
Artist
Pietro Perugino (US: PERR-ə-JEE-noh, -oo-; Italian: ; born Pietro Vannucci or Pietro Vanucci; c.
