The Madonna and Child in a Rosary

French 15th Century

1490

ink

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Renaissance Renaissance Religious

About this work

This image shows a woman holding a small child, both dressed in flowing robes. Behind them float two winged figures, and the whole scene is framed by a border of repeating circles and leaves. The colors are faded but still show reds, blues, and a soft purple, with gold accents in the background. The woman and child are the focus, but the hand-colored details—like the tiny crown on the woman’s head—add a touch of extra care. This style of art used stencils and blocks to print the image first, then added color by hand. Next, look up woodcut to see how this printing method worked.