Madonna with Child – Institute of Art – Detroit
The painting, probably realized in Florence between 1495 and 1500, depicts the Madonna, seated in the foreground facing the viewer and gently holding the Child, who is turning to the left instead.
The white skin of Jesus’ naked and plump body contrasts with the bright colors of the Virgin’s clothes, in a red dress tight at the waist by a belt, above which rests the blue mantle with gold embroidered edges; between the hair a light golden cloth is elegantly woven.
The landscape, where gentle hills fade towards the horizon, researching the effect of aerial perspective, and in general the whole composition, recall the contemporary Madonna and Child now preserved at the National Gallery of Art in Washington: the Virgin is in that case portrayed by three quarters, while on the contrary for the figure of Jesus, substantially identical, Perugino used the same cartoon.
The work is currently preserved at the Institute of Art in Detroit.
