Artwork
Maria mit Kind
Maria mit Kind is an unspecified painting by the Mannerist artist Hans Schöpfer. It dates from 1532 and is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Mary is shown in a frontal pose, her gaze directed toward the viewer while the Christ Child is positioned in her lap, turning slightly toward her.
The painting depicts the Virgin Mary holding the Christ Child, a traditional subject in Christian iconography known as the Madonna and Child. Mary is shown in a frontal pose, her gaze directed toward the viewer while the Christ Child is positioned in her lap, turning slightly toward her. The composition emphasizes maternal tenderness and divine grace, aligning with late medieval and early Renaissance devotional imagery that sought to evoke intimacy between the holy figures and the faithful.
The religious genre and the subject’s enduring presence in European art collections underscore its role in fostering contemplation and reverence.
History & Provenance
Hans Schöpfer (I) painted Maria mit Kind in 1532, a religious work portraying the Madonna and Child. The painting measures 36.4 cm in height and 29.2 cm in width. It belongs to the Bavarian State Painting Collections and is housed in the Alte Pinakothek, as recorded in its provenance and cataloging data.
The work was created during the early 16th century, with its inception dated to January 1, 1532, according to archival records. Its genre aligns with religious art, reflecting devotional practices of the period. The painting’s subject matter centers on the Virgin Mary with the infant Christ, a common motif in devotional painting of the era.
The painting Maria mit Kind by Hans Schöpfer (I), dated 1532, is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections. It is specifically housed at the Alte Pinakothek in Munich. The work measures 36.4 cm in height and 29.2 cm in width.
While its current location and collection are documented, the provided sources do not contain specific inventory numbers or details regarding its exhibition history.
Context
Hans Schöpfer the Elder painted Maria mit Kind in 1532, a religious work depicting the Virgin Mary with the infant Christ. The painting measures 36.4 cm in height and 29.2 cm in width, and belongs to the religious art genre. It is housed in the Bavarian State Painting Collections at the Alte Pinakothek, reflecting its integration into Munich's artistic heritage.
Scholarship on the work engages with Schöpfer's role in Renaissance religious painting and the stylistic conventions of early 16th-century German art, situating Maria mit Kind within broader discussions of devotional imagery and regional artistic production.
Overview
Created in 1532 by the German painter Hans Schöpfer, this small religious work portrays the Virgin Mary cradling the infant Jesus. Executed in oil on panel, the composition is modest in scale and now belongs to the collection of the Alte Pinakothek in Munich.
Technique & Style
Schöpfer renders the figures with a restrained palette; Mary wears a dark cloak over a plain dress, while the infant is wrapped in simple cloth. Soft, diffused clouds form the background, illuminated by a subtle halo of light that lends the scene a quiet, contemplative atmosphere.
Artist & collection
