Artwork
Virgin and Child
Virgin and Child is an oil painting by the High Baroque Italian artist Carlo Maratta. It dates from 1699 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The work portrays the Virgin Mary tenderly holding the infant Christ, embodying the traditional subject of the Madonna and Child.
The work portrays the Virgin Mary tenderly holding the infant Christ, embodying the traditional subject of the Madonna and Child. This iconography emphasizes divine motherhood, spiritual protection, and the Incarnation, serving as a visual meditation on maternal devotion and the sacred humanity of Jesus. The composition reflects Counter-Reformation ideals of intimate, accessible sacred imagery, inviting contemplation of both nurturing care and theological significance.
Technique & Style
Carlo Maratta's 1697 "Virgin and Child" is an oil painting on canvas. The work measures 119.0 cm in height and 89.0 cm in width, depicting the Madonna cradling the Christ Child. Executed in oil paint, the composition exemplifies Baroque religious art through its refined modeling and intimate devotional focus, reflecting the stylistic conventions of late 17th-century Italian painting.
The painting's surface retains its original canvas support, though handling details are not specified in the sources. Its condition is not assessed in available documentation, and no conservation interventions are recorded.
History & Provenance
Carlo Maratta painted this Virgin and Child in 1697, an oil on canvas work portraying Mary with the infant Christ. It entered the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst, where it remains on display in the religious art genre. The painting measures 119.0 centimeters in height and 89.0 centimeters in width and is cataloged under the inception date 1697-01-01. Its creation is documented in contemporary records as a devotional image commissioned for ecclesiastical use.
The oil painting Virgin and Child by Carlo Maratta, created in 1697, is part of the permanent collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst in Copenhagen. The work is executed on canvas and measures 119 cm in height by 89 cm in width. While the painting is confirmed to reside at this institution, the provided sources do not list a specific inventory or accession number, nor do they document any exhibition history for the piece.
Overview
Carlo Maratta’s Virgin and Child was painted in 1699 using oil on canvas. The work presents the Virgin Mary seated on a draped surface, holding the infant Jesus, whose head rests against her. A dark, undefined background isolates the figures, emphasizing their forms and the subtle interaction between mother and child.
Context
Maratta was a preeminent painter in late 17th‑century Rome, known for synthesizing the grandeur of the Baroque with classical restraint. Virgin and Child exemplifies his mature style, aligning with contemporary religious iconography while showcasing his skill in rendering delicate human emotion within a formal framework.
Artist & collection
Artist
Carlo Maratta or Maratti (18 May 1625 – 15 December 1713) was an Italian Baroque painter and draughtsman, active principally in Rome where he was the leading painter in the second half of the 17th century.
