Virgin and Child
The Met
Artist: Hans Memling(Netherlandish, Seligenstadt, active by 1465–died 1494 Bruges)
Date: ca. 1490–94
Department: European Paintings
Classification: Paintings
Medium: Oil on wood
Dimensions: Overall 14 1/8 x 10 1/4 in. (35.9 x 26 cm); painted surface 13 3/8 x 9 1/2 in. (34 x 24.1 cm)
Credit Line: The Friedsam Collection, Bequest of Michael Friedsam, 1931
Visual Descriptions
AI GeneratedVisual Summary
Brief Description
A woman in a red cloak holds a baby touching an open book, a landscape through a window
Detailed Description
The painting depicts a woman holding a baby in a vertical rectangular format. The woman, positioned slightly to the left of center, wears a deep red cloak draped over a dark dress with a gold-trimmed, V-shaped neckline. Her long, light brown hair falls over her shoulders, and she wears a delicate, lace-like headpiece with a dark band adorned with small, dark jewels across her forehead. Her fair-skinned face is turned slightly to the right, with her eyes cast downwards. She cradles a naked baby, who sits upright on a white cloth on her lap, facing forward with a direct gaze. The baby has light, curly hair and fair skin. The woman's left hand supports the baby's back, while her right hand holds an open book with a dark cover. The baby's right hand rests on the pages of the book, which show lines of text. The text on the visible page appears to be "DOMINE LABIA MEA APERIES ET OS MEUM ANNUNTIABIT LAUDEM TUAM". To the right of the figures, a rectangular window opens to a distant landscape under a light blue sky. The landscape features rolling green fields, scattered trees, and a dark forest in the background. Small, indistinct figures appear in the middle ground. The interior wall behind the woman is a dark, reddish-brown wood. The colors include strong contrasts between the deep red cloak, dark dress, and the lighter skin tones and landscape.
Generated by gemini-2.5-flash
