Virgin and Child with the Young Saint John the Baptist
Bronzino·1528
Historical Context
Virgin and Child with the Young Saint John the Baptist at the Art Institute of Chicago is a devotional painting from early in Bronzino's career, showing the influence of his master Pontormo. The sacred subject is treated with the refined elegance and emotional detachment that would characterize Bronzino's mature religious paintings. Characteristic of the artist's mature approach, the work displays enamel-smooth surfaces, cool alabaster flesh, psychological distance, and an aristocratic hauteur that made his sitters appear untouchable ideals rather than mortal individuals.
Technical Analysis
The smooth modeling and cool palette already show Bronzino's developing Mannerist style, with the figures arranged in an elegant composition of interlocking poses characteristic of Florentine design.
