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Virgin and Child

A work made of oil on panel.
CC0 Public Domain Designation

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  • A work made of oil on panel.

Date:

1460/65

Artist:

Workshop of Rogier van der Weyden
Netherlandish, c. 1399-1464

About this artwork

Combining tenderness and regal authority, Rogier van der Weyden’s influential compositions of the Virgin and Child were repeated and varied by the master, his workshop, and by later Netherlandish painters. Here the Virgin supports the Child on a cushion that appears to rest on the edge of the picture’s frame, as though revealing the infant to the viewer through a window opening. Van der Weyden used elements such as the gems decorating the Virgin’s dress, her pearl-studded circlet, and the thronelike associations of the rich red velvet hanging behind her to characterize her as the queen of heaven. At the same time, by depicting her nurturing her infant, the artist emphasized Christ’s human nature and the Virgin’s role as an intercessor for mankind.

Status

On View, Gallery 202

Department

Painting and Sculpture of Europe

Artist

Workshop of Rogier van der Weyden

Title

Virgin and Child

Place

Belgium (Artist's nationality:)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

1460–1500

Medium

Oil on panel

Dimensions

38.4 × 28.3 cm (15 1/8 × 11 1/8 in.); Painted surface: 36.5 × 27 cm (14 3/8 × 10 5/8 in.)

Credit Line

Mr. and Mrs. Martin A. Ryerson Collection

Reference Number

1933.1052

IIIF Manifest  The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world.

Learn more.

https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/16303/manifest.json

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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