The Virgin and Child with Saint Elizabeth and Saint John the Baptist 1645 - 1705

This anonymous etching, *The Virgin and Child with Saint Elizabeth and Saint John the Baptist* (1645-1705), depicts a scene of religious devotion, common in Northern European art. The central figure is the Virgin Mary, holding the infant Jesus, who appears to be reaching out to the young Saint John the Baptist. Saint Elizabeth, the mother of John, stands behind the Virgin Mary, looking on with reverence. The presence of the lamb, often symbolic of Christ's sacrifice, adds to the religious meaning of the piece. This etching, now in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, exemplifies the skillful use of line to create depth and form, characteristic of the Baroque era.