Artwork
Maria mit dem Kinde und dem Johannesknaben
Maria mit dem Kinde und dem Johannesknaben is an unspecified painting by the Early Baroque Italian artist Alessandro Turchi. It dates from 1613 and is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
This subject reflects the Counter-Reformation’s focus on intimate devotional scenes that invite personal reflection on sacred narratives.
The painting portrays the Virgin Mary holding the infant Jesus alongside the young John the Baptist, a composition rooted in Christian iconography that emphasizes maternal tenderness and the recognition of Christ’s divine role. The presence of John the Baptist, often identified by his attribute of a lamb, introduces a prophetic dimension, foreshadowing his later role as the foreteller of the Messiah. This subject reflects the Counter-Reformation’s focus on intimate devotional scenes that invite personal reflection on sacred narratives. The work is part of the Bavarian State Painting Collections, housed in the Alte Pinakothek in Munich.
Technique & Style
The work is executed in oil on wood panel, measuring 23.1 cm in height and 17.6 cm in width. It depicts the Virgin Mary cradling the infant Jesus alongside the young John the Baptist, rendered with delicate chiaroscuro and precise linear modeling characteristic of early 17th-century Venetian classicism. The composition emphasizes intimate devotional interaction, with soft drapery folds and a muted palette that heightens the sacred narrative.
The painting's surface exhibits fine craquelure consistent with age, though its structural integrity remains stable within the collection's conservation records.
History & Provenance
The work titled Maria mit dem Kinde und dem Johannesknaben was painted by Alessandro Turchi in 1613. It entered the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections and has been housed in the Alte Pinakothek in Munich since its acquisition.
The painting depicts the Virgin Mary with the infant Jesus and the young John the Baptist, reflecting a religious subject typical of the early 17th‑century Italian school.
The work was created as part of Turchi’s devotional output for ecclesiastical patrons in Verona, and its execution is documented by the dated inscription on the canvas.
Overview
Alessandro Turchi’s 1613 oil painting Maria mit dem Kinde und dem Johannesknaben presents a quiet devotional scene that now belongs to the Alte Pinakothek. The work shows the Virgin Mary holding the infant Jesus, with the young John the Baptist nearby, set against a deep, shadowed backdrop that isolates the figures and emphasizes their intimacy.
Context
The painting reflects the Counter‑Reformation’s emphasis on personal piety and the intimate portrayal of holy figures. By presenting the Virgin and Child in a domestic, approachable manner, Turchi aligns with contemporary devotional art that sought to make sacred narratives accessible to viewers.
Artist & collection
Artist
Alessandro Turchi (1578 – 22 January 1649) was an Italian painter of the early Baroque, born and active mainly in Verona, and moving late in life to Rome.
- Madonna and Child with Young St John
Madonna and Child with the Young Saint John the Baptist
Madonna with Child Jesus
The Infant Christ blessing the Virgin
Charity
Madonna and Child with The Infant Saint John the Baptist
Madonna with sleeping Child Jesus
The Virgin and Child with Saints Elizabeth and John
The Holy Family
The Mystic Marriage of St Catherine
Holy family with little John the Baptist
Mary with Child and John the Baptist