The Virgin and Child Seated by the Wall

1514

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art

Dominant colour

The Virgin and Child Seated by the Wall is a 1514 by Albrecht Dürer, a Renaissance work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.

Who painted this?: Albrecht Dürer
When & what style?: 1514 · Renaissance
Where can I see it?: Cleveland Museum of Art

About this work

The painting shows the Virgin and Child sitting by a wall, with a view of Nuremberg castle in the background. The Virgin looks regal, but also very human, with everyday items like keys and a purse at her waist. The Christ Child is holding an apple, reminding us of the past. To learn more about the artist's use of contrast and shading, look into the technique of chiaroscuro.

The story of this work

Overview

The Virgin in this small engraving appears monumental against a contemporary view of Nuremberg castle. Although she looks regal, Dürer underscores her humanity by presenting her in this modern context and by adding commonplace household keys and a money purse at her waist. As she sits serenely, the Christ Child displays an apple to the viewer as a reminder of the past, specifically the Fall of man and his divine role in the redemption of humanity. The arrangement and introspective character of this engraving have been compared to Dürer’s Melencolia I . Both were finished in the same year as…

Read the full account in the museum source.