Virgin and Child with an Angel

The Virgin is shown standing behind a classical parapet, which creates a sense of depth, and gazing down at her son held by an angel. The enclosed garden is one of the traditional symbols associated with Mary’s virginity, and is populated by white and red roses alluding to pure love as well as to Jesus’s passion. The use of oil paint, introduced from Northern Europe, allowed the artist to convincingly portray different textures in the painting – the angel’s shiny blond curls, the expensive silk brocade on Mary’s sleeves, and the transparent gauze covering her hair as well as the infant Jesus.