The Virgin holding the infant Christ, an oval composition, counterproof
ca. 1600–40
Medium
Etching, counterproof
Dimensions
Sheet (Trimmed): 4 13/16 × 6 3/16 in. (12.3 × 15.7 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1951
Accession Number
51.501.5024
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the tender embrace of *The Virgin Holding the Infant Christ, an Composition, Counterproof*, Guido Reni a timeless moment of maternal devotion central to Christian iconography. Created around 1600–40, this intimate etching showcases Reni's mastery of Baroque elegance, influenced by the Bolognese School and masters like Raphael. The oval format—popular in 17th-century printmaking—enhances the work's devotional focus, drawing the viewer's eye to the serene faces of Mary and the Christ Child, symbols of purity and divine love during the Counter-Reformation era. Reni's use of etching allowed fo...
About the Artist
Guido Reni · 1575–1642
Guido Reni (1575–1642) was one of the most celebrated Italian painters of the Baroque era and the dominant figure of the Bolognese School. Born into a family of musicians in Bologna, he trained first with Denys Calvaert before joining the influential Accademia degli Incamminati led by Ludovico Carracci. Reni achieved international fame through his idealizing style that combined Baroque dynamism wi...