Loading

The Virgin and Child on a Grassy Bench

Unknownabout 1500

The J. Paul Getty Museum

The J. Paul Getty Museum
Los Angeles, United States

The folds of the Virgin's kerchief, her hair, the grassy bench, and the hem of her gown display beautiful penwork. Her round face with its small chin shows a youthful sweetness as she gazes at her baby, and the long curls of her hair echo the loose bend of the grasses on the left.

At the same time, however, the unknown artist had not mastered anatomy. He shortened the Virgin's right forearm unconvincingly, while the knee on which she appears to bounce the Christ Child seems bulbous and awkward. A young or inexperienced draftsman probably produced this drawing. The eclecticism and cautious restraint of the technique indicate that the artist's style may not have been fully developed.

Show lessRead more
  • Title: The Virgin and Child on a Grassy Bench
  • Creator: Unknown
  • Date Created: about 1500
  • Physical Dimensions: 19.2 × 15.6 cm (7 9/16 × 6 1/8 in.)
  • Type: Drawing
  • External Link: Find out more about this object on the Museum website.
  • Medium: Pen and brown ink; strip at the top added later
  • Terms of Use: Open Content
  • Number: 92.GA.103
  • Culture: German
  • Credit Line: The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles
  • Creator Display Name: Unknown maker, Nuremberg School
  • Classification: Drawings (Visual Works)
The J. Paul Getty Museum

Get the app

Explore museums and play with Art Transfer, Pocket Galleries, Art Selfie, and more

Home
Discover
Play
Nearby
Favorites