Artwork
Virgin and Child
Virgin and Child is an unspecified painting by the Sienese School artist Ambrogio Lorenzetti. It dates from 1329 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts the Virgin Mary with the Christ Child, a devotional pairing central to Christian art. Classified as a religious work, it belongs to the long-established Madonna and Child tradition, presenting the mother and infant Jesus as the principal subject.
History & Provenance
The work is held by the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, where it is recorded under the accession number 1916.1015. It has been part of the museum’s collection since that date and was included in the exhibition "Italian Paintings of the 14th Century," presented at the museum in 1975.
Overview
Ambrogio Lorenzetti's Virgin and Child, painted circa 1329, is a religious work from the Sienese school, featuring the Christ Child and Mary in a traditional composition.
Technique & Style
Lorenzetti employs gold leaf for the halos and backgrounds, creating a sense of luminosity and depth. The contrast between light and shadow, akin to chiaroscuro, adds dimensionality to the figures. The calm facial expression of Mary and the curious look of the Christ Child are rendered with subtle, expressive nuance.
Artist & collection
Artist
Ambrogio Lorenzetti (Italian pronunciation:; c. 1290 – after 9 August 1348) was an Italian painter of the Sienese school. He was active from approximately 1317 to 1348. He painted The Allegory of Good and Bad Government…
![Madonna and Child, with the Blessing Christ [middle panel], by Martino di Bartolomeo](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/martino-di-bartolomeo--madonna-and-child-with-the-blessing-christ-middle-panel--9e7ebbf6d3ba8295-w320.webp)
