The Virgin and Child Enthroned

This Virgin and Child Enthroned, around 1480, in the Gemäldegalerie Berlin, presents the Madonna in a formal, hierarchical composition that recalls earlier Netherlandish altarpiece traditions. Memling was the leading painter in Bruges during the city's period as a major European commercial center Hans Memling brought serene, refined beauty to Flemish devotional painting, becoming the leading artist in Bruges after the death of van der Weyden The Virgin Mary occupied a central place in late medi

The enthroned Virgin is set against an elaborate textile backdrop with architectural details rendered with microscopic precision. The Christ child's delicate flesh tones contrast with the rich, dark colors of the Virgin's robes and the decorative setting.