Virgin and Child
n.d.
Medium
Engraving on paper
Dimensions
9 × 6 cm (3 9/16 × 2 3/8 in.)
Classification
engraving
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
21392
Art Historical Context
Nestled in the Art Institute of Chicago's Prints Drawings collection, *Virgin and Child* by Jean Valdor is a delicate engraving on paper, measuring just 9 × 6 cm. Created by the French printmaker (date unknown), this intimate work captures one of the most enduring motifs in Western art: the bond between the Virgin Mary and infant Christ. Such depictions, widespread in Christian devotional imagery, served as aids for personal prayer and meditation. Engraving, Valdor’s chosen medium, involves incising fine lines into a metal plate with a burin, then inking and printing onto paper. This labor-in...