The Virgin Adoring the Child with the Infant Saint John the Baptist 1487 - 1489

Jacopo del Sellaio created this panel painting, "The Virgin Adoring the Child with the Infant Saint John the Baptist," using oil and tempera, offering us a glimpse into late 15th-century Florentine art. Notice how the composition is structured around the vertical figure of the Virgin, cloaked in a dark, voluminous robe, and the infant figures arranged at her feet. The landscape behind her is reduced to the upper section of the panel. Del Sellaio uses the contrast between light and shadow to create a sense of depth. He places emphasis on the linear outlines of the figures to separate them from the background. The painting adheres to a hierarchical structure characteristic of religious art during the Renaissance. The formal arrangement invites the viewer to contemplate the religious significance of the scene. However, it is worth noting the gentle humanity del Sellaio brings to this subject, evident in the soft expressions and tender interaction of the figures.