The Virgin and Child
Classification
Drawing
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Museum purchase through gift of various donors and from Eleanor G. Hewitt Fund
Accession Number
1938-88-8037
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
The Virgin and Child is a drawing by Italian artist Fortunato Duranti (1787–1863), created between 1820 and 1850. Now in the Smithsonian American Art Museum, this work reflects the enduring popularity of religious subjects in 19th-century European art. Drawings offered artists a direct, intimate way to explore composition, emotion, and form, whether as finished pieces or studies. Duranti’s lifetime spanned major shifts in Italian history, from the Napoleonic aftermath to the era of unification. The Virgin and Child theme, a central Christian image of maternal tenderness and divine incarnation, held deep cultural resonance in Catholic Italy. Acquired through gifts from various donors and the Eleanor G. Hewitt Fund, the drawing enriches the museum’s holdings and invites viewers to consider Duranti’s place in Italian draftsmanship, even as research on this specific sheet continues.