Adoration of the Christ Child 1580 - 1600

Filippo Bellini's "Adoration of the Christ Child" (1580-1600) is a preparatory drawing for a larger painting. The artwork is displayed at The Art Institute of Chicago. The drawing depicts the traditional scene of the Nativity, with the Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph kneeling in adoration of the Christ Child. Angels and other figures surround them, and a grid pattern is overlaid on the image, suggesting that the drawing was used as a guide for a more finished work. The use of the grid suggests the influence of Renaissance perspective, as it was a common technique used by artists during this period to achieve realistic depth and proportion in their compositions.