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Madonna and Child
(Renaissance Europe )
The simply dressed Virgin Mary and the naked Christ Child remind the viewer of the Christian virtue of humility. The landscape behind them suggests an idealized site from Perugino's native Umbria in central Italy, given a paradise-like beauty and serenity. The colors are vivid and yet harmonious.
Pietro Perugino (which means the one from Perugia) was famous for his pious and sweet style, and, by the late 15th century, he was one of the most popular artists in Italy. His fame led to the commission of a wall fresco in the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican.
Provenance
Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object. Learn more about provenance at the Walters.
Grand Duke of Tuscany [date and mode of acquisition unknown] (?); Grand Duke of Lucca [date and mode of acquisition unknown] (?) [In the Warren sale catalogue, this picture was previously listed in the collection of the grand duke of Tusdany, then in that of the duke of Lucca; it does not appear, however, in the sale catalogue of the latter, while its provenance from the grand ducal collection cannot be traced]; Mrs. S. D. Warren, Boston [date and mode of acquisition unknown]; Mrs. S. D. Warren Sale, American Art Association, New York, January 8-9, 1903, no. 100; H. Williams [date and mode of acquisition unknown]; Henry Walters, Baltimore, 1903, by purchase; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.
Conservation
| Date | Description | Narrative |
|---|---|---|
| Examination | chemical analysis | |
| 1/7/1958 | Treatment | chemical analysis; cleaned; coated; inpainted; other; surface cleaned; varnish removed or reduced |
| 4/9/1984 | Treatment | other |
Geographies
Italy, Perugia (Place of Origin)
Measurements
Painted surface H: 24 13/16 x W: 19 5/16 x Approx. D: 1 1/4 in. (63 x 49 x 3.2 cm)
Credit Line
Acquired by Henry Walters, 1903
Location in Museum
Accession Number
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
37.475