Virgin and Child 1460

Dirk Bouts's "Virgin and Child" (c. 1460) is a small-scale oil painting that showcases the artist's characteristic meticulous detail and subtle naturalism. The intimate composition focuses on the tender interaction between Mary and the infant Jesus, their faces almost touching. Bouts's masterful use of light highlights the contours of their faces and figures, creating a sense of volume and depth. The painting, now housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, is a poignant example of early Netherlandish devotional art.