The Virgin and Child

Jacopo da Sellaio was a Florentine painter and furniture decorator who specialized in painted cassoni and spalliere depicting mythological and historical narratives for wealthy Florentine households. This The Virgin and Child was created around 1485 and is now held at the Gemäldegalerie Berlin The Virgin Mary occupied a central place in late medieval and Renaissance piety, venerated as intercessor and Queen of Heaven, her image produced in countless devotional objects for public and private use.

Tempera on panel with Sellaio's characteristic lively narrative composition and detailed settings. The work demonstrates the artistic qualities characteristic of Jacopo da Sellaio's period.