Who painted Virgin and Child with a Dragonfly?

Virgin and Child with a Dragonfly was painted by Master of Saint Giles in 1500-01-01.

Where can I see Virgin and Child with a Dragonfly?

Virgin and Child with a Dragonfly is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is Virgin and Child with a Dragonfly?

Virgin and Child with a Dragonfly is associated with Northern Renaissance.

Can I buy a print of Virgin and Child with a Dragonfly?

Museum-quality prints of Virgin and Child with a Dragonfly are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Virgin and Child with a Dragonfly

Master of Saint Giles , 1500

Virgin and Child with a Dragonfly is an oil painting by the Northern Renaissance artist Master of Saint Giles. It dates from 1500 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

As a work of religious genre, the piece represents traditional Christian iconography focused on the maternal bond between the Virgin and her son.

The artwork depicts the Madonna and Child, a central subject in religious art featuring the Virgin Mary and the Christ Child. Created by the Master of Saint Giles around 1500, the painting presents these figures as its main subject. The title references a dragonfly, though the primary depiction is of Mary and the infant Jesus.

As a work of religious genre, the piece represents traditional Christian iconography focused on the maternal bond between the Virgin and her son. The composition is executed in oil paint on panel, adhering to the visual conventions of early 16th-century devotional imagery.

Technique & Style

The work is executed in oil paint on a wooden panel, a support combination typical of early Netherlandish practice. The painting is small in scale, measuring 26.6 by 18.2 centimeters, a format suited to private devotion. Its technique is consistent with the refined finish associated with the Master of Saint Giles, who is recorded as the creator of the piece dated to around 1500.

Stylistically, the work belongs to the religious genre and centers on the Madonna and Child as its main subject.

History & Provenance

Created around 1500, the oil painting on panel known as Virgin and Child with a Dragonfly is attributed to the Master of Saint Giles. The work measures approximately 26.6 by 18.2 centimeters and depicts the Madonna and Child. Formerly in the collection of Robert Lehman, the piece currently resides in the holdings of the Metropolitan Museum of Art as part of the Robert Lehman Collection. The specific circumstances of its original commission remain undocumented in the available records.

Overview

The painting Virgin and Child with a Dragonfly, created around 1500 by the artist known as the Master of Saint Giles, is an oil on panel work. It portrays the traditional Christian subject of the Madonna holding the infant Jesus. This piece is part of the collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, offering a glimpse into late medieval religious artistry.