Virgin and Child

Set against a dark background that highlights her as if she were a statue, the tender young Virgin is holding her Son, who is carrying out blessings while standing on the balustrade. Both subjects are looking straight out at the spectator, directly engaging him with the holy vision. The figures are depicted with painstaking attention to the precious detailing on the clothing, such as the transparent veil on Christ’s chest and the pearl and stone pin on the Virgin’s head. Perino del Vaga used this model in many paintings of the same subjects, often portrayed with St Joseph.