Virgin and Child
1745
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
1745
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
Virgin and Child is a 1745 by William Wynn Ryland, a Baroque work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.
This print shows a woman holding a small child. She’s kneeling on a pedestal, draped in flowing clothes that look soft and heavy at the same time. The background is a plain oval shape, and the whole scene is framed by a dark border. The woman’s face is calm, but her body is twisted in a way that makes the fabric twist too. The child looks asleep, curled against her. The print uses light and shadow to give everything a three-dimensional feel. Look up chiaroscuro next to see how this effect works.
