The Virgin and Child with the Young St. John the Baptist

Art Historical Context

Carlo Maratti created this intimate etching in 1647, capturing the tender meeting of the Virgin Mary, the Christ Child, and the young Saint John the Baptist. A leading figure in the Roman Baroque, Maratti produced this print early in his career, when he was just twenty-two. The small sheet, measuring roughly 6 7/8 by 5 inches, belongs to the second of four states, revealing the artist’s careful revisions to refine the figures’ expressions and the delicate play of light across their forms. The subject reflects a long-standing Christian tradition that emphasizes the human connection between the...

About the Artist

Carlo Maratti · 1625–1713

Son of a Dalmatian father. Known as the last major Italian artist of the classical tradition, which had originated with Raphael. He created a grandiose and decorative style that was valued by his ecclesiastical patrons. Comment on works: History; Religious.