Madonna holding a lily branch with the Christ Child on her lap, seated on clouds, surrounded by cherub heads

Art Historical Context

This engraving by Cherubino Alberti captures a tender vision of the Madonna and Child, with the Virgin seated on clouds and cradling the infant Jesus while holding a lily branch, a symbol of purity. Surrounded by cher heads, the composition evokes a heavenly realm, drawing viewers into a moment of quiet devotion. Created between 1570 and 1615, the work reflects the religious fervor of the late Renaissance and early Baroque periods in Italy, when artists often produced devotional images to inspire faith. Alberti, known for his skilled engravings, used the medium’s fine lines to achieve remarkable detail and luminosity. Prints like this one played a vital role in spreading sacred imagery beyond churches, making art accessible to a wider audience. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection, it exemplifies how such works blended artistic precision with spiritual meaning, inviting contemplation of divine love and grace.

About the Artist

Cherubino Alberti (Zaccaria Mattia) · 1553–1615

Cherubino Alberti (1553–1615), also known by his birth name Zaccaria Mattia, was an Italian engraver and painter active in Rome during the late Renaissance and early Baroque periods. Born in Borgo San Sepolcro in Tuscany, he came from an artistically inclined family and received training that equipped him for work in both painting and the reproductive graphic arts. It was as a printmaker, however,...