Artwork
Madonna with Child
Madonna with Child is an oil painting by the Biedermeier artist Josef Abel. It dates from 1816 and is held in the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
As indicated by its genre and main subject classification, the composition centers on the maternal bond between Mary and the infant Jesus.
Josef Abel's 1816 oil painting, titled Madonna with Child, is a work of religious art that focuses on the traditional depiction of the Virgin Mary and the Christ Child. As indicated by its genre and main subject classification, the composition centers on the maternal bond between Mary and the infant Jesus. The iconography adheres to established Christian visual conventions, presenting the figures as the primary subjects without additional narrative elements mentioned in the available records. This representation serves to illustrate the central figures of Christian devotion within a formal, devotional context.
Technique & Style
Executed in 1816 by Josef Abel, this religious painting depicts the Virgin Mary and the Christ Child. The work is realized in oil paint applied to a canvas support. Physically, the composition measures 69 cm in height and 54 cm in width.
The piece is classified as a painting within the genre of religious art, currently held in the collection of the Belvedere.
History & Provenance
Madonna with Child is an 1816 oil painting by Josef Abel, created as a religious work depicting Mary with the Christ Child. The artwork entered the collection of the Belvedere, Kunsthistorisches Museum, where it remains on display in Vienna.
The painting was executed in 1816 and measures 69 cm by 54 cm, reflecting its original dimensions without conversion. Its provenance traces directly to the Belvedere collection, indicating continuous ownership by the institution since its creation.
The painting is held in the Belvedere collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna. It was accessioned as part of the museum's holdings and has been exhibited in the museum's permanent display of religious artworks. The work was created in 1816 and remains on view in the Belvedere's exhibition spaces as part of its historical presentation of 19th-century religious painting.
Overview
Josef Abel’s 1816 oil painting titled Madonna with Child presents a solemn mother‑and‑child scene. The work is part of the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna and exemplifies early‑19th‑century religious art rendered in oil on canvas.
Context
Abel’s Madonna with Child reflects the continued popularity of devotional imagery in post‑Napoleonic Central Europe. While the neoclassical trend dominated the period, the painting’s intimate, emotive portrayal aligns with a lingering Baroque sensibility for dramatic lighting and personal piety.
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