Artwork
Virgin and Child with the Young Saint John the Baptist and Angels
Virgin and Child with the Young Saint John the Baptist and Angels is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist François Boucher. It dates from 1765 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Created in 1765 by François Boucher, this religious oil painting depicts a sacred assembly centered on the Virgin Mary and the Christ Child.
Created in 1765 by François Boucher, this religious oil painting depicts a sacred assembly centered on the Virgin Mary and the Christ Child. The composition explicitly includes the young Saint John the Baptist, identified as a child figure alongside the central duo, consistent with traditional iconography of the Holy Family's extended circle. The presence of angels further enriches the scene, serving as celestial attendants that underscore the divine nature of the subjects.
As a work of religious art housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the piece represents a devotional image where the interaction between the infant Jesus and his cousin John the Baptist often symbolizes the transition from the Old Testament to the New, while the surrounding angels emphasize heavenly approval and protection over the holy figures.
Technique & Style
The work, painted in 1765 by François Boucher, is an oil on canvas religious composition housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Executed in oil paint, the piece measures 41 × 34.6 cm and depicts the Virgin and Child flanked by the young Saint John the Baptist and attendant angels. Boucher’s technique employs a smooth, delicate brushstroke and a soft, pastel palette that characterizes his Rococo style, while the balanced arrangement of figures creates a harmonious, intimate scene.
The painting’s formal qualities reflect the gentle interaction and graceful gestures typical of Boucher’s religious works, emphasizing both devotional content and ornamental elegance.
Overview
François Boucher's painting, Virgin and Child with the Young Saint John the Baptist and Angels, created in 1765, is an oil on canvas work. It depicts a traditional religious scene, bringing together key figures from Christian iconography. The artwork is currently part of the collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, showcasing Boucher's characteristic approach to sacred subjects within a Rococo aesthetic.
History & Provenance
This religious composition by François Boucher was completed in the year 1765. Over time, the painting became part of a significant public collection. Today, Virgin and Child with the Young Saint John the Baptist and Angels is housed at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, where it is accessible to the public as an example of 18th-century French painting.
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Artist & collection
Artist
François Boucher was a French painter, draughtsman and etcher, who worked in the Rococo style.
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