Madonna with Skull
1529
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
About the artist
Artist
Barthel Beham
Barthel Beham (1502–1540) was an artist, born in Nuremberg.
See the richer artist page1529
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Madonna with Skull is a 1529 ink by Barthel Beham, a Renaissance work, depicting Breastfeeding, held at National Gallery of Art.
The painting shows a woman, likely Mary, holding a baby and a skull. She looks sad. The skull is a symbol of death, which is an unusual thing to see in a picture of a mother and child. This picture is interesting because it combines a common scene from Christian art with a reminder of mortality. The artist may have been trying to say something about the fleeting nature of life. You can learn more about this style by looking into the technique: engraving.
Barthel Beham (1502–1540) was an artist, born in Nuremberg.
See the richer artist page
