Who painted The Virgin and Child?

The Virgin and Child was painted by Pietro Perugino in 1495.

Where can I see The Virgin and Child?

The Virgin and Child is held by Gemäldegalerie Berlin.

What movement is The Virgin and Child?

The Virgin and Child is associated with Early Renaissance.

Artwork

The Virgin and Child

Pietro Perugino , 1495

The Virgin and Child is a paint painting by the Early Renaissance artist Pietro Perugino. It dates from 1495 and is held in the collection of the Gemäldegalerie Berlin.

About this work

Overview

Created circa 1495 by Pietro Perugino, a leading figure of the Umbrian school, this panel painting presents a traditional devotional image of the Virgin Mary holding the infant Christ. The work belongs to the early Renaissance period, when religious subjects dominated artistic production, and it now forms part of the collection of the Gemäldegalerie in Berlin.

Subject & Meaning

The composition centers on Mary cradling the newborn Jesus, a motif intended to inspire piety and contemplation. The figures are rendered with gentle gestures and serene expressions, emphasizing the intimate bond between mother and child while reinforcing theological ideas of divine incarnation and maternal intercession.

Technique & Style

Executed on a wooden panel, the painting displays Perugino’s characteristic clarity of form and balanced arrangement. The palette includes muted blues and reds that once formed the garments and possible halos, though much of the surface paint has thinned with age. The artist’s linear precision and soft modeling anticipate the compositional harmony later perfected in the High Renaissance.

History & Provenance

After its creation in the late 15th century, the panel entered various private collections before being acquired by the Gemäldegalerie, Berlin, where it remains on display. The work is documented as part of Perugino’s output during a period when he trained several assistants, most famously the young Raphael, who absorbed his master’s compositional principles.

Context

The panel shows extensive wear: the wood is cracked and chipped, and the paint layer is uneven, with areas where pigment has been rubbed away. Traces of three circular color fields—blue, red, and red‑orange—are still discernible, likely representing Mary’s cloak and the infant’s halo, hinting at the original vibrancy of the work.