Madonna and Child 1609

Orazio Gentileschi’s 1609 “Madonna and Child” depicts the Virgin Mary breastfeeding the infant Jesus. This intimate portrayal of the biblical subject, rendered in a naturalistically realistic style, exemplifies the artist’s mastery of chiaroscuro and subtle color variations. Gentileschi’s work, which departs from the idealized portrayals common during the Renaissance, is characteristic of the emerging Baroque period.