Artwork

Maria mit Kind

Maria mit Kind, by Jan Gossaert, unspecified, 1526
Maria mit Kind, by Jan Gossaert, unspecified, 1526

Maria mit Kind is an unspecified painting by the Early Baroque Italian artist Jan Gossaert. It dates from 1526 and is held in the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The painting depicts the Virgin Mary tenderly holding the infant Christ, a direct representation of the Madonna and Child motif.

The painting depicts the Virgin Mary tenderly holding the infant Christ, a direct representation of the Madonna and Child motif. This subject functions as a focal point for themes of maternal tenderness and divine incarnation within the religious art tradition of the early sixteenth century. The composition emphasizes the intimate connection between mother and child, reinforcing theological ideas of humanity's redemption through Christ's incarnation.

The work's provenance in the Kunsthistorisches Museum underscores its significance within the institutional preservation of Northern Renaissance religious imagery.

History & Provenance

Jan Gossaert's painting Maria mit Kind, dated to 1526, is held in the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna. The work depicts the Virgin Mary and the Christ Child within the context of religious art. While the museum location is confirmed, the specific inventory or accession number for this painting is not provided in the available sources.

Similarly, no details regarding the artwork's exhibition history or past public displays are recorded in the provided documentation.

Overview

Jan Gossaert, also known as Jan Mabuse, painted Maria mit Kind in 1526. The work presents the Virgin Mary seated with the infant Christ, rendered in a composition that reflects the artist’s synthesis of Northern detail and Italianate influences. It is part of the permanent collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna.

Technique & Style

Gossaert employs chiaroscuro to model the figures, creating a subtle contrast between illuminated flesh and shadowed drapery. The architectural backdrop, a carved archway with a Latin inscription, provides depth and a sense of interior space, while the fine handling of textures reflects his training in the Netherlandish tradition blended with emerging Romanist motifs.

Context

Gossaert was among the first artists from the Low Countries to travel to Italy, absorbing Renaissance ideas that he later integrated with his native visual language. Maria mit Kind exemplifies this cross‑cultural exchange, illustrating how northern painters incorporated Italian compositional principles while retaining meticulous detail.

Madonna and child
Madonna and child, Jan Gossaert

Artist & collection

Portrait of Jan Gossaert

Artist

Jan Gossaert

Jan Gossaert (c. 1478 – 1 October 1532) was a French-speaking painter from the Low Countries also known as Jan Mabuse (the name he adopted from his birthplace, Maubeuge) or Jennyn van Hennegouwe (Hainaut), as he called…

Frequently asked questions

Who painted Maria mit Kind?

Maria mit Kind was painted by Jan Gossaert in 1526.

Where can I see Maria mit Kind?

Maria mit Kind is held by Kunsthistorisches Museum.

What movement is Maria mit Kind?

Maria mit Kind is associated with Early Baroque Italian.