The Virgin with the Christ Child and the young Saint John the Baptist holding a bird at right, an oval composition, after Reni
ca. 1630–80
Medium
Etching
Dimensions
Sheet (Trimmed): 7 11/16 × 5 7/16 in. (19.6 × 13.8 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1926
Accession Number
26.70.4(86)
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate etching, created between 1630 and 1680, captures a tender moment from Christian tradition: the Virgin Mary gently cradling the Christ Child, joined by the young Saint John the Baptist, who holds a small bird at the right. Presented in an elegant oval format, the composition was designed by the celebrated Bolognese master Guido Reni and reproduced here by Lorenzo Loli, one of his followers. The intimate grouping reflects the Baroque period’s emphasis on emotional warmth and devotional accessibility. Etching allowed artists like Loli to translate Reni’s graceful figures and soft l...
About the Artist
Lorenzo Loli|Guido Reni (Italian|Italian) · 1575 |1607 –1642 |1691
Italian, Bologna 1575–1642 Bologna|Italian, Bologna ca. 1612–1691 Bologna