The Virgin and child with the infant Saint John the Baptist, with the Christ child lying on her lap and turning to kiss the Baptist
Medium
Lithograph
Dimensions
Image: 16 5/8 × 12 13/16 in. (42.2 × 32.5 cm) Sheet: 19 1/2 × 14 5/16 in. (49.6 × 36.3 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Georgiana W. Sargent, in memory of John Osborne Sargent, 1924
Accession Number
24.63.1469
Tags
Art Historical Context
This tender lithograph from 1836 captures a classic Renaissance devotional scene: the Virgin cradling the infant Christ Child on her lap as he turns to kiss the young Saint John the Baptist. Attributed to Lorenzo Lotto, the renowned 16th-century Italian painter the Venetian school, it echoes his distinctive style—intimate, expressive Madonnas infused with emotional warmth and subtle psychological depth. Lotto often depicted such holy family groupings to evoke piety and human connection, making sacred figures relatable to everyday worshippers. Printed by Franz Hanfstängl, with possible involve...