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Madonna and Child with Four Saints

German 15th Century

1420

ink

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Renaissance Renaissance Religious Biblical Magi

Dominant colour

Madonna and Child with Four Saints is a 1420 ink by German 15th Century, a Renaissance work, depicting Biblical Magi, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: German 15th Century
When & what style?: 1420 · Renaissance
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This print shows Mary holding baby Jesus while four saints stand around them. The colors pop—red robes, green trim—all painted by hand after the print was made. It’s old. Like, really old. From the 1400s. Back then prints like this were like posters—cheap, easy to share. This one survived because someone kept it safe. Look up woodcut next if you want to see how these images were made.