Virgin and Child

This panel representing the Virgin and Child was probably the central component of a large altarpiece. Although both figures are depicted as monumental and awe-inspiring, they are more relatable to the viewer through details such as Mary caressing Jesus’s foot. The gold in the background and the Madonna's clothing created a glittering effect in a candlelit space, such as a church or chapel where this work would have been originally placed. Also playing on the symbolic meaning of light, the infant Jesus holds a scroll that bears the inscription “I am the light of the world.”