Who painted Virgin and Child?

Virgin and Child was painted by Master of San Miniato in 1470-01-01.

Where can I see Virgin and Child?

Virgin and Child is held by Rijksmuseum.

What movement is Virgin and Child?

Virgin and Child is associated with Early Renaissance.

Can I buy a print of Virgin and Child?

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

Artwork

Virgin and Child

Master of San Miniato , 1470

Virgin and Child is a tempera painting by the Early Renaissance artist Master of San Miniato. It dates from 1470 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

This tempera panel depicts the Madonna and Child, a central subject in religious art representing the Virgin Mary holding the infant Jesus.

This tempera panel depicts the Madonna and Child, a central subject in religious art representing the Virgin Mary holding the infant Jesus. The composition focuses on the maternal bond between the mother and the boy, who is identified as the Christ Child. As a work of religious genre, the image serves as a devotional object emphasizing the humanity and divinity of the figures.

The portrayal aligns with traditional iconography where Mary is presented as the caring mother of God, a theme widely venerated in Christian tradition during the late 15th century.

Technique & Style

The Virgin and Child is executed in tempera on panel, a technique characteristic of late fifteenth-century Italian devotional painting. According to the recorded dimensions, the panel measures 66.5 cm in height by 48 cm in width, presenting the composition in a vertical format suited to private worship.

Stylistically, the work belongs to the religious genre and centers on the Madonna and Child as its principal subject, depicting the Virgin Mary with the Christ Child. The painting is attributed to the Master of San Miniato and dated to 1470, aligning it with Quattrocento Florentine workshop practice, where tempera on prepared wood panel remained the standard medium for sacred imagery.

History & Provenance

Created in 1470, the tempera painting Virgin and Child is attributed to the Master of San Miniato. The work was originally part of the Grand Ducal collection of Oldenburg, where it was held by Peter II, Grand Duke of Oldenburg, and subsequently by Frederick Augustus II, Grand Duke of Oldenburg. Today, the panel is located at the Rijksmuseum in the Augusteum, having been transferred from the Oldenburg holdings.

Overview

This painting, titled Virgin and Child, was created around 1470 by the artist known as the Master of San Miniato. Executed in tempera, the work portrays a tender interaction between the Virgin Mary and the Christ Child. It is currently part of the collection at the Rijksmuseum. The composition emphasizes a quiet, intimate moment, characteristic of devotional art from the period.