Madonna met kind en papegaai c. 1470 - 1491

This is Martin Schongauer’s engraving, “Madonna and Child with a Parrot”, made around 1470-1475. The composition is dominated by the contrast between the intricate details of the figures and the linear hatchings of the background. Schongauer masterfully uses line to create texture and volume. Notice how the dense, parallel lines define the folds of Mary’s drapery and the soft curves of the child’s body, lending a tactile quality to the scene. The parrot, perched playfully, introduces a dynamic element, breaking the symmetry of the composition. The medium of engraving allows for a precision that enhances the symbolic richness. Schongauer’s technical skill invites us to decode the signs embedded in the image – the book, the parrot – prompting a deeper engagement with the cultural codes of the time. The detailed rendering of light and shadow is not merely decorative, but contributes to a complex interplay between form and content.