Who painted Maria mit Kind?

Maria mit Kind was painted by Unknown in 1470.

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 Renaissance.

Artwork

Maria mit Kind

Unknown , 1470

Maria mit Kind is an unspecified painting by the Early Renaissance artist Unknown. It dates from 1470 and is held in the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum. The panel presents a central female figure cradling an infant, surrounded by eight ancillary figures within rounded frames.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

Created around 1470, this religious painting depicts the Madonna and Child, a central subject in Christian iconography.

Created around 1470, this religious painting depicts the Madonna and Child, a central subject in Christian iconography. The work portrays the Virgin Mary holding the Christ Child, representing the theological concept of the Incarnation. As a piece of South Bohemian art housed in the Kunsthistorisches Museum, the image serves as a devotional focus, emphasizing the maternal bond between Mary and Jesus while affirming his divine nature through human form.

History & Provenance

The painting Maria mit Kind is attributed to the South Bohemian school and has been held in the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum since at least the period documented by Wikidata.

The work is dated to 1470, aligning with the inception year recorded in the museum’s holdings. Its genre is specified as religious, depicting the Virgin Mary with the Christ Child, consistent with the Madonna and Child iconography of late 15th-century Central European art.

Context

The painting commonly referred to as Maria mit Kind belongs to the religious genre and portrays the Madonna and Child, reflecting the devotional practices of late 15th-century Central European art. It was created around 1470 and is attributed to an artist identified as Südböhmisch, situating it within the broader context of Bohemian Renaissance painting. The work is housed in the Kunsthistorisches Museum, where it remains part of the institution's collection of sacred imagery.

Overview

The panel presents a central female figure cradling an infant, surrounded by eight ancillary figures within rounded frames. The central woman is dressed in a blue robe edged with a red cloak, while the child turns his gaze toward her. The surrounding figures hold various objects, books, a spear, musical instruments, and some display crowns or halos against a gold ground.

Technique & Style

Executed with flat, unmodulated color fields, the painting employs a gold background that reinforces its sacred character. The faces are rendered with minimal modeling, and the overall design relies on clear outlines and simplified forms rather than naturalistic shading, typical of medieval panel work.