The Madonna with Child and St John

Bronzino, one of the most prominent Florentine Mannerists, was connected with the court of the Medici family. Both a poet and a  painter, he was revered by his follower and imitator Giorgio Vasari. This lyrical scene enchants with the elegantly posed hand of the Madonna holding a book, and the charm of the figures of Jesus and St John depicted as little boys. Other versions of this composition can be viewed, among others, in prestigious museums in Florence, London, Milan, Paris, Vienna and New York, which further confirms its great popularity.