Sleeping Child

A Genovese painter of the early Italian Baroque era, Strozzi was regarded in the 1630s as one of the leading Venetian masters.

Against a dark background, a small child lies on a soft pillow. Its ruddy cheeks and the coral bracelets around its wrists – to protect it from illness – and the intensely glowing red blanket contrast the white and cream shades of dress, cap and pillow.
This small-scale painting conveys peace and security, inviting the viewer to pause for a moment in silence.