Virgin and Child 1515 - 1525

Gerard David painted this “Virgin and Child” in oil on panel in the late fifteenth or early sixteenth century. David was one of the last great Bruges painters, working at a time of immense change in the social role of art. This intimate scene of maternal care uses conventions developed in Italy and Northern Europe to emphasize the humanity of sacred figures. The setting is a carefully constructed landscape with recognizable features. David worked during a period of transition in Bruges, as economic power shifted from the city to Antwerp. The local painter’s guild, of which he was head, attempted to maintain standards in the face of changing tastes and economic conditions. This small panel, therefore, represents the tastes of local patrons and the institutions that supported them. To fully appreciate works like this we need to consider the social and economic circumstances in which they were produced. Archival sources allow us to understand the kind of patronage system that supported artists like David, as well as the changing tastes of local elites.