Virgin and Child
The infant Christ embraces his mother as the pair touch cheeks in an intimate expression of familial love. This panel may have been part of a devotional diptych, perhaps paired with an image of a donor figure or Christ Taking Leave of His Mother. Such a small picture would be easily transportable for devotional practice during travel. The painting was likely produced in the workshop of the Bruges-based artist Gerard David (ca. 1455-1523). In the early sixteenth century David tailored his creative output to meet the growing demands of the open market, creating series of images in a streamlined fashion with the participation of assistants and apprentices. It is in this context that the Virgin and Child belongs.
Artwork Details
- Title: Virgin and Child
- Artist: Workshop of Gerard David (Netherlandish, Oudewater ca. 1455–1523 Bruges)
- Date: 1490–1523
- Culture: Netherlandish
- Medium: Oil on oak panel
- Dimensions: Overall: 6 1/8 x 4 1/2 in. (15.6 x 11.4 cm); Painted Surface: 5 3/4 x 4 1/8 in. (14.6 x 10.5 cm)
- Classification: Paintings
- Credit Line: Robert Lehman Collection, 1975
- Object Number: 1975.1.118
- Curatorial Department: The Robert Lehman Collection
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