Description The presented "Madonna and Child", despite the conservative iconography, is a brilliant example of the artistic heritage of Luca Signorelli. The unusually tender image contains symbols of the cycle of the Passion of Christ: A baby holds a branch strewn with scarlet berries, possibly cherries. On his neck are coral beads. The scarlet robes of the Mother of God echo the red of Christ and predict her suffering. Madonna's face is certainly idealized, but it looks like the face of an earthly woman. The Madonna and Child are depicted against the backdrop of a central Italian landscape, bringing the narrative closer to its contemporaries. The painting is well known among collectors and art historians due to its prestigious collection history.
Provenance Collection of Wilhelm von Bode, Berlin, 19th century; Collection of the Aaron S. Drey Company, Munich, before 1936; Private collection, London, until 1989; Private collection, Russia.