Who painted The Education of the Virgin?

The Education of the Virgin was painted by Jean-Baptiste Deshays in 1762.

Where can I see The Education of the Virgin?

The Education of the Virgin is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is The Education of the Virgin?

The Education of the Virgin is associated with Romanticism.

Can I buy a print of The Education of the Virgin?

Museum-quality prints of The Education of the Virgin are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

The Education of the Virgin

Jean-Baptiste Deshays , 1762

The Education of the Virgin is a gouache drawing by the Romanticist artist Jean-Baptiste Deshays. It dates from 1762 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

Inscription: Inscribed:in brown ink, lower right in image: Deshayes; upper left on mount in brown ink: No. 4; lower right on mount in brown ink: No. 3

About this work

Overview

Jean-Baptiste Deshays’s drawing, titled The Education of the Virgin, dates from around 1762 and is part of the National Gallery of Art’s collection in Washington. Executed on laid paper mounted on an older support, the work combines red chalk, brown ink, brown wash, and touches of white gouache to delineate its figures and setting.

Subject & Meaning

The composition portrays a didactic moment involving three kneeling figures in the foreground. One figure appears to be lifted or supported by another, while a third observes. Above them hovers a winged angel holding a luminous lamp, suggesting divine guidance in the Virgin’s early instruction.

Technique & Style

Deshays employs rapid, gestural lines to convey movement, while the interplay of red chalk and brown ink creates a warm, earthy palette. White gouache highlights key elements, particularly the angelic figure and the lamp, enhancing contrast against the loosely sketched architectural background.

History & Provenance

The drawing was produced in the mid‑eighteenth century, a period when French academicians often used preparatory studies to explore narrative scenes. It entered the National Gallery of Art’s holdings through acquisition, though earlier ownership details remain undocumented.

Context

The work reflects the era’s interest in religious education narratives, aligning with contemporary devotional art that emphasized the formative influence of divine instruction on the Virgin Mary. Its preparatory nature suggests it may have been a study for a larger composition or a teaching tool within Deshays’s workshop.