Artwork
Maria mit Kind (Kopie nach einem verlorenen Original) (Kopie nach)
Maria mit Kind (Kopie nach einem verlorenen Original) (Kopie nach) is an oil painting by the Northern Renaissance artist Quinten Metsys. It dates from 1512 and is held in the collection of the Alte Pinakothek. Created in 1512, this oil painting presents a mother and infant in a subdued interior.
About this work
Overview
The figure of the woman, cloaked in dark, weighty garments, cradles a nursing child, her eyes gently closed.
Created in 1512, this oil painting presents a mother and infant in a subdued interior. The figure of the woman, cloaked in dark, weighty garments, cradles a nursing child, her eyes gently closed. A modest setting—simple wooden furniture, a modest bed, and a small, latticed window—frames the intimate moment, rendered with soft illumination that highlights the contrast between the dark robes and the pale skin.
Subject & Meaning
The work portrays the Virgin Mary with the Christ Child, emphasizing a quiet, devotional atmosphere. The mother's serene expression and the child's vulnerable posture suggest a contemplative reverence, aligning with the period’s focus on personal piety and the humanity of sacred figures.
Technique & Style
Executed in oil on panel, the painting employs a restrained palette and careful modeling of light to achieve a subtle chiaroscuro effect. The handling of texture—particularly the heavy folds of the woman's robe—reflects the Northern Renaissance’s attention to material detail while maintaining a calm, intimate mood.
History & Provenance
The piece is a later copy of an earlier composition that has not survived. It was produced by Quentin Matsys, a Flemish artist who began his career as an ironsmith before turning to painting. The work now belongs to the collection of Munich’s Alte Pinakothek, where it is displayed among other Northern Renaissance holdings.
Context
Matsys, a central figure in the development of the Antwerp school, spent more than two decades working in that city. While known for moralizing subjects and occasional satire, his religious output, as exemplified by this painting, reflects the devotional climate of early sixteenth‑century Flanders.
Artist & collection
Artist
Quentin Matsys (UK: MAT-sysse, US: MAHT-sysse; also Massys or Metsys; Flemish: Quinten Matsijs ; 1466–1530) was a Flemish painter in the Early Netherlandish tradition.
