Who painted Virgin and Child with Saint John (chalk sketch)?

Virgin and Child with Saint John (chalk sketch) was painted by Adriaen van der Werff in 1711-01-01.

Where can I see Virgin and Child with Saint John (chalk sketch)?

Virgin and Child with Saint John (chalk sketch) is held by Rijksmuseum.

What movement is Virgin and Child with Saint John (chalk sketch)?

Virgin and Child with Saint John (chalk sketch) is associated with Rococo painting.

Can I buy a print of Virgin and Child with Saint John (chalk sketch)?

Museum-quality prints of Virgin and Child with Saint John (chalk sketch) are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Virgin and Child with Saint John (chalk sketch)

Adriaen van der Werff , 1711

Virgin and Child with Saint John (chalk sketch) is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Adriaen van der Werff. It dates from 1711 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.

About this work

Technique & Style

The work is classified within the genre of religious art, serving as a preparatory or independent study of these sacred figures.

Created in 1711, this work by Adriaen van der Werff utilizes chalk sticks applied to a wooden panel. Unusually, the support was previously employed to hold an older canvas painting before being repurposed for this drawing. While primarily executed in chalk, the material composition also includes oil paint. The piece measures 33.7 cm in height and 26 cm in width.

Stylistically, the composition depicts a religious scene featuring the Virgin Mary, the Christ Child, and the child Saint John. The work is classified within the genre of religious art, serving as a preparatory or independent study of these sacred figures.

History & Provenance

The drawing was created in 1711 by Adriaen van der Werff using chalk on panel, a support originally part of a canvas painting (33.7 cm × 26 cm). It depicts the Virgin and Child with Saint John in a religious composition. The work entered the collection of Catharina Isabella Six and is now housed in the Rijksmuseum as part of the Six Collection, under the stewardship of the Royal Dutch Antiquarian Society. Its inception dates to 1711, and it remains classified within the religious art genre.

Context

The drawing Virgin and Child with Saint John, executed in chalk on a wood panel in 1711, reflects Adriaen van der Werff's mastery of religious composition within the Dutch Golden Age tradition. Its inclusion in the Rijksmuseum's Six Collection underscores scholarly recognition of van der Werff's significance as a late Baroque painter, bridging 17th-century religious art and 18th-century Dutch painting.

Overview

Created in 1711, this chalk drawing presents a quiet devotional grouping of the Virgin Mary, the infant Jesus, and the young Saint John the Baptist. Executed in a monochrome palette, the composition balances the three figures within a restrained space, emphasizing their intimate interaction rather than elaborate setting.

Subject & Meaning

The Virgin is shown in profile, gently cradling the Christ Child while holding an open book, a traditional symbol of her piety and the Word. The infant Jesus turns toward the youthful Saint John, who sits opposite, evoking the future prophetic relationship between the two children and underscoring themes of innocence and spiritual kinship.