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Madonna and Child with a Bishop

Andrea Andreani

1591

ink

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Renaissance Renaissance Religious

Dominant colour

Madonna and Child with a Bishop is a 1591 ink by Andrea Andreani, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Andrea Andreani
When & what style?: 1591 · Renaissance
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This sketch shows a seated woman holding a baby, with a robed man kneeling beside them. The woman’s face is gentle, her hands soft on the child’s arm. The man wears a tall hat and holds a staff with a cross on top. Sunbeams shine down from the top corner, lighting their faces. The artist used three woodblocks to layer dark lines and brown tones, giving it a warm, shadowy look. The paper has a textured, aged feel, like old parchment. Next, look up woodcut to see how artists like this made prints with carved blocks.