Madonna and Child

By Francesco Granacci, ca. 1520
JPG • 2875 × 3872 PX • 2.2 MB
Curatorial Notes

Painted around 1520, this work depicts the Virgin Mary holding the Christ Child in a composition characterized by tenderness and intimacy between Mother and Son. An interesting detail is the small bird held by Jesus, resembling a swallow, a bird traditionally associated with Christ's Resurrection in Christian iconography. According to the Metropolitan Museum, the composition was probably inspired by a sculptural relief by Donatello or Michelangelo, who had studied alongside Granacci in Domenico Ghirlandaio's workshop. The artist, however, transformed this sculptural model into a scene of soft colors, illuminated by natural light entering through the opening in the background. Infrared examinations revealed an interesting detail about the creative process: in the preparatory drawing, the Christ Child was holding a lock of Mary's hair, a gesture later modified by the painter. The composition was also used by the Florentine artist Bacchiacca in another painting of the Madonna and Child, now preserved in the same museum.

Artwork Identification

Title Madonna and Child
Title (PT) Madona e o Menino
Title (ES) La Virgen y el Niño
Artist Francesco Granacci
Artist Bio Francesco Granacci (c. 1469–1543) was an Italian Renaissance painter born in Villamagna, near Florence. He trained in the workshop of Domenico Ghirlandaio, where he met Michelangelo, with whom he became friends. In 1508, he was called to Rome to assist Michelangelo with work on the Sistine Chapel, but returned to Florence that same year. He specialized in religious painting and contributed to the decoration of the Borgherini family's bridal chamber, alongside artists such as Andrea del Sarto and Pontormo. His paintings combine the Florentine tradition of the 15th century with influences from the High Renaissance.
Date ca. 1520
Work Type Painting

Location & Collection

License Creative Commons Public Domain Mark 1.0
Ars Sancta