Basic Information

Historical Context

An oil painting of the Virgin and Child from Dürer's late mature period. This intimate devotional image demonstrates Dürer's continued engagement with the Madonna and Child theme throughout his career. [Inferred from Dürer Catalog] Visual Description The Virgin holds the Christ Child in a half-length composition. She wears contemporary dress and a simple headdress. The Christ Child is plump and lively. The background may include a cloth of honor or a simple interior. The painting is intimate in scale and warm in tonality. Artistic Analysis Dürer's late Madonna paintings demonstrate a simplification and intensification of his earlier approach. The compositions become more direct and the emotional tone more intimate, suggesting the influence of Reformation spirituality on Dürer's devotional art. The warmth of the mother-child interaction grounds the sacred in the everyday.