Artwork
Maria mit Kind
Maria mit Kind is an unspecified painting by the Early Renaissance artist Bartolomeo di Giovanni. It dates from 1500 and is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
As a work of religious art, the image serves as a visual meditation on the relationship between mother and son within the context of salvation history.
Created around 1500 by Bartolomeo di Giovanni, this religious painting depicts the Madonna and Child. The composition focuses entirely on the Virgin Mary holding the Christ Child, a central subject in Christian iconography representing maternal devotion and the incarnation of God. As a work of religious art, the image serves as a visual meditation on the relationship between mother and son within the context of salvation history. The straightforward presentation of these two figures emphasizes their spiritual significance rather than narrative action.
Technique & Style
The work is executed in tempera on wood panel, typical of early 16th-century Florentine painting. It measures 54.9 cm in height by 33.5 cm in width and depicts the Virgin Mary cradling the infant Christ Child, reflecting devotional conventions of the period. The composition emphasizes intimate maternal connection through close spatial proximity and gentle gestures, while the stylized forms and delicate coloration align with the Quattrocento naturalistic tradition.
The surface exhibits fine brushwork and careful modeling of drapery, characteristic of Bartolomeo di Giovanni’s refined approach to sacred imagery.
History & Provenance
The painting was created in 1500 by Bartolomeo di Giovanni for devotional use, depicting the Virgin Mary with the infant Christ. It entered the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections, where it has remained since its acquisition. The work measures 54.9 cm in height and 33.5 cm in width, and is housed in the Alte Pinakothek in Munich.
The painting Maria mit Kind by Bartolomeo di Giovanni is housed in the Alte Pinakothek, part of the Bavarian State Painting Collections. It was created in 1500 and measures 54.9 cm in height by 33.5 cm in width. The work has been exhibited within the museum's religious art displays, including presentations of Renaissance depictions of the Madonna and Child.
Context
The work occupies a significant position within the religious painting tradition of early 16th-century Florence, reflecting the devotional emphasis on the Madonna and Child motif prevalent among Tuscan artists of the period. Its composition and iconography align with contemporary devotional practices, situating it within the broader context of Florentine religious art that sought to inspire contemplation through intimate portrayals of sacred figures. The piece is part of the Bavarian State Painting Collections, housed in the Alte Pinakothek in Munich, where it remains on public view as a representative example of Bartolomeo di Giovanni's contributions to the genre.
Scholarly attention has focused on its role within the evolution of devotional imagery in Renaissance Tuscany, with particular interest in its technical execution and devotional function. The work's attribution to Bartolomeo di Giovanni has been consistently recognized in art historical literature, reinforcing its importance as a documented example of religious painting from the era.
Overview
Created around the turn of the 16th century, Maria mit Kind presents a seated Virgin Mary holding the infant Christ. The figures occupy a modestly proportioned interior framed by an arched opening, while a kneeling figure is positioned to the left. The work is part of the early Renaissance corpus and is currently displayed in the Alte Pinakothek collection.
Artist & collection
Artist
Bartolomeo di Giovanni di Domenico (1458? – 1501) was an Italian Renaissance painter active in Florence. His works were first identified by the art historian Bernard Berenson, who did not know the painter's real name so…
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