Virgin and Child Enthroned

By Unknown, 1800s
JPG • 2423 × 3400 PX • 4.7 MB
Curatorial Notes

This 19th-century Italian painting is an archaizing work that emulates the style of the late Middle Ages or early Renaissance. It depicts the Virgin Mary holding the Christ Child against a traditional gold ground. Mary wears a deep blue mantle adorned with a star, a symbol of her title as Stella Maris, while the Child is dressed in a richly patterned tunic. He holds a scroll inscribed with the Latin phrase 'EGO SUM LUX MUNDI' (I am the light of the world). Two angels with floral crowns and hands joined in prayer flank the central figures, their halos featuring intricate punched patterns characteristic of the Sienese or Florentine traditions being imitated. The work reflects the 19th-century revival of interest in Gothic and early Renaissance aesthetics.

Artwork Identification

Title Virgin and Child Enthroned
Title (PT) Virgem e o Menino Entronizados
Title (ES) Virgen y el Niño Entronizados
Artist Unknown
Date 1800s
Work Type Painting

Location & Collection

License Creative Commons Public Domain Mark 1.0
Ars Sancta