The Madonna of the Basket

The Madonna of the Basket at the Hunterian Museum follows the intimate devotional format that Correggio perfected. His small-scale Madonnas, designed for private contemplation, achieved an unprecedented intimacy that made the sacred relationship between mother and child feel immediately present The Madonna and Child was the most ubiquitous devotional subject of medieval and Renaissance art, present in every church and many private homes as a focus for prayer and spiritual contemplation.

The intimate composition shows the Madonna with domestic details that humanize the sacred subject. Correggio's warm sfumato and gentle modeling create an atmosphere of quiet maternal tenderness.