Madonna with Child and a monk - Parmigianino

This Madonna and Child with a Monk, associated with Parmigianino and held in the Bavarian State Painting Collections, combines the devotional subject with the Mannerist emphasis on formal elegance and refined beauty. The inclusion of a monastic figure — possibly a Franciscan or Dominican friar — suggests a commission from a religious order. The dating to around 1550 places it after Parmigianino's death in 1540, suggesting it may be a workshop production or later copy after the master's designs, which continued to be reproduced due to their enormous popularity.

The composition follows Parmigianino's devotional formula with the Madonna's characteristically elongated form and refined features. The monk's more naturalistic portrayal creates an effective contrast with the idealized divine figures, while the smooth technique and cool palette are consistent with the Parmigianesque tradition.