The Virgin Reading to the Infant Christ/The Virgin Adoring the Infant Christ with Saint John The Virgin Adoring the Infant Christ with Saint John (verso)

Perched on a window ledge, a mother turns from her book to look at her son. Only the haloes and the crown held by the toddler indicate that this is Mary and the infant Christ. The mood is domestic and almost impromptu, as if the sitters have been captured unawares. Representations of the Virgin and Child were among the stock-in-trade of every Renaissance artist. The back of this sheet holds another study of this subject by the Venetian painter Carpaccio.

The construction and technique of this drawing is typical of Carpaccio. He often laid-in the rudiments of his drawings with red chalk and then built up the composition with pen and ink. However, here the chalk also contributes to the final effect, working in combination with the ink to create the strong sense of shape and shadow on the Virgin’s robe and headdress.