Virgin and Child with St. John
Medium
chiaroscuro woodcut
Classification
Department
Prints
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Dudley P. Allen Fund
Accession Number
1923.73
Tags
male
About this artwork
Enclosed in an oval and intimate space, the Virgin Mary holds Christ the Child on her lap, with the young Saint John the Baptist arranged to one side. Jesus's right sole is placed on the frame, creating the illusion his foot is resting on it. In his chiaroscuro woodcuts, Antonio da Trento usually favored gray ink rather than black for the line block, aiming for a pale effect and tonal unity. Furthermore, he exploited fine webs of hatching and cross-hatching to create contrasts between vigorous h...