Artwork
Madonna and Child
Madonna and Child is an oil painting by the Flemish Baroque painting artist Gerard Seghers. It dates from 1650 and is held in the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The iconography presents the two figures as the primary main subject, emphasizing their spiritual significance within the Christian tradition.
The painting depicts the Madonna and Child, a central theme in religious art featuring the Virgin Mary and the Christ Child. As a work of religious genre, the subject focuses on the maternal bond between Mary and her son, Jesus. The iconography presents the two figures as the primary main subject, emphasizing their spiritual significance within the Christian tradition.
This representation aligns with the broader artistic convention of portraying the holy pair to evoke devotion and illustrate the incarnation.
Technique & Style
Executed in 1650, this religious painting is an oil work on canvas support. The piece measures 104.5 cm in height and 73.5 cm in width. Attributed to Gerard Seghers, the composition depicts the Madonna and Child, focusing on the figures of Mary and the Christ Child as its primary subjects. The work is currently held in the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum.
History & Provenance
The painting Madonna and Child is an oil on canvas work created in 1650. While the piece is firmly dated to the mid-17th century, some attributions regarding its authorship remain tentative, with records occasionally listing Gerard Seghers with a question mark. Despite this uncertainty in absolute attribution, the work is consistently associated with Seghers in art historical records.
The painting currently resides in the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum, where it is preserved as an example of religious art depicting the Virgin Mary and the Christ Child.
The painting is held by the Kunsthistorisches Museum, where it forms part of the museum's collection. According to the Wikidata record, it is catalogued within that institution's holdings.
No specific inventory or accession number is recorded in the available sources, and no exhibition history is documented.
Context
Gerard Seghers' 1650 oil painting Madonna and Child was created during the Baroque period, reflecting the devotional intensity characteristic of 17th-century Catholic Europe. The work's religious genre aligns with Seghers' specialization in Counter-Reformation imagery, as documented in museum records. Art historical scholarship situates this painting within the artist's broader output of intimate Marian devotions, distinct from the more monumental interpretations of the subject by earlier masters.
Its technical execution in oil on canvas, measuring 104.5 cm by 73.5 cm, demonstrates the refined naturalism valued in Flemish Baroque painting traditions. The attribution to Seghers remains subject to ongoing scholarly discussion, with the Kunsthistorisches Museum currently presenting it as part of their collection of religious works from this era.
Overview
Created around 1650 by Flemish artist Gerard Seghers, this oil painting presents a Virgin Mary cradling the infant Christ. The composition focuses on an intimate exchange between mother and child, set against a dark backdrop that heightens the warm tones of Mary's red robe and the golden illumination surrounding the figures.
Artist & collection
Artist
Gerard Seghers (c. 17 March 1591 – 18 March 1651) was a Flemish painter, art collector, and art dealer. After a period of study and residence in Italy, he returned to Flanders where he became one of the leading…
