Virgin and Child
ca. 1525–50
Medium
Oil on wood
Dimensions
Overall: 4 x 3 1/16 in. (10.2 x 7.8 cm); Painted Surface: 3 1/2 x 2 5/8 in. (8.9 x 6.8 cm)
Classification
Paintings
Culture
Netherlandish
Department
Robert Lehman Collection
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Robert Lehman Collection, 1975
Accession Number
1975.1.123
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the intimate glow of the Robert Lehman Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, *Virgin and Child* (ca. 1525–50) by the enigmatic Master of Female Half-Lengths captivates with its delicate scale—just 4 x 3 1/16 inches overall. This Netherlandish oil on wood panel exemplifies the anonymous master's signature style: elegant half-length figures rendered in jewel-like precision, perfect for private devotion during the Northern Renaissance. The tiny painted surface (3½ x 2⅝ inches) invites close contemplation, a hallmark of portable altarpieces cherished by affluent households. The Madonna...