The Virgin and Child with Flowers

Image credit: The National Gallery, London

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In this intimate painting the Virgin Mary holds a branch of lilies entwined with carnations in her left hand and supports the Christ Child with her right. He raises one hand in blessing, and holds a rose in the other. The rose and lily are commonly associated with the Virgin's purity. More flowers lie in a basket. The golden-haired infant has a faint halo, making his head stand out against the dark background.The tender atmosphere and delicacy of execution are typical of Carlo Dolci, who painted several versions of this scene for aristocratic patrons between 1642 and 1649 (there are examples in the Musée Fabre, Montpellier, and the Bayerische Staatsgemäldesammlungen, Munich). The refined draughtmanship, noticeable in details like the lace and the transparent veil covering Christ, is characteristic of the paintings he produced in the 1640s, although this version may be later and seems not to be by Dolci's hand.

The National Gallery, London

London

Title

The Virgin and Child with Flowers

Date

after 1642

Medium

Oil on canvas

Measurements

H 78.1 x W 63.2 cm

Accession number

NG934

Acquisition method

Wynn Ellis Bequest, 1876

Work type

Painting

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The National Gallery, London

Trafalgar Square, London, Greater London WC2N 5DN England

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