The Virgin and Child 1527

Mabuse, working in the Netherlands during the early 16th century, made this painting of the Virgin and Child. It's an oil on panel. Mabuse was among the first Netherlandish artists to travel to Italy and study Renaissance painting. You can see that influence in the classical architecture in the background, and in the rather sculptural treatment of the figures. The inscription above, in Latin, translates from the book of Genesis to describe the Virgin Mary as she who will crush the serpent's head. We should consider how such images worked within the religious culture of the time. We can look at the theological writings of the period, sermons, and the records of religious institutions to understand how this image might have been viewed then. We can also look at the ways that patrons commissioned such works, and what they were used for. The meaning of this painting then, is very much a product of its own time.