The Virgin in profile facing right reading to the infant Christ
Original title: The Virgin in profile facing right reading to the infant Christ
kurzbeschreibung
Unlike many Madonna images of the same period, Marco Dente's engraving from about 1515–27 presents the Virgin entirely in profile facing right, reading aloud to the Christ Child seated on her lap. The print is an engraving and measures 18.9 × 13.1 cm.
Description
Mary sits upright with the child on her lap; her head is turned to the left, while the child looks to the right. Both wear carefully engraved garments, the woman a head covering, and she holds out a book to the child. Curtains and a window opening suggest the room and frame the scene. The layout is symmetrical, the figures at the center, and fine hatching models light and shadow.
Context
Marco Dente, an Italian engraver of the Renaissance, was a pupil of Marcantonio Raimondi and worked in Rome. The engraving was made in the first half of the 16th century, when reproductive printmaking after designs by famous artists was widespread. The motif of the reading Madonna was highly popular in the Italian Renaissance, linking devotion with humanist learning.
Impact
The calm arrangement and delicate linework give the sheet an intimate, contemplative mood. Because the background remains sparse, attention stays entirely on the relationship between mother and child.
Technique
For this engraving, lines were cut into the metal plate with a burin. Fine hatching and cross-hatching create graded tones and textures characteristic of Renaissance printmaking.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)