Pinturicchio “Madonna and Child with a Worshipper” Ambrosiana Gallery Pinacoteca Library in Milan in Italy

Madonna and Child

Pinturicchio (1454 — 11 December 1513) “Madonna and Child and a Devotee”

Painting - Tempera on Wood (85 x 66 cm) 1500-1510

In a cloud overlooking the Madonna and Child Jesus, seven protective cherubs witness a scene of blessing from a man, who is probably the commissioner and donor of the work.

The man is shown in profile, and he is not looking at Mary or the Infant Jesus, who is blessing him; his red clothes indicate his important social position, but his attitude indicates that he is kneeling in humility and praying with his headdress on his clasped hands.

Pinturicchio positioned this donor outside of the sacred space where the Madonna and Child are located, a space bounded by a separating wall that crosses the entire width of the painting.

Following a restoration of the painting, it was discovered that in front of this donor was another character who was probably erased during a previous restoration because of the poor condition of the painting at this location.

Madonna and Child Generally, donors are represented as couples, so it is assumed that the missing character must have been the donor's spouse.

We also see that the Infant Jesus is older than in most depictions of this theme and is dressed like a young boy.

Jesus blesses the giver by raising the first three fingers of his hand, the index and middle fingers representing his dual membership in the human and divine world, while the other fingers are folded over his palm, which, as it should be, does not face the blessed one.

Marie seems frozen like a statue; she stands straight and face-to-face, but the softness of her face reveals great serenity.

Madonna and Child She protects Jesus by holding him firmly in her arms; he cannot fall.

On the left, a natural mountain arch reveals an eastern city with a pyramid, especially a church that defines it as a holy city, Jerusalem.

This arch is thus presented as a gateway to the Holy City.

An access to the sacred which is defended by two warriors dressed in Western clothing who protect themselves with their shields by trying to prevent a turbaned rider from entering the city; the rider pierces the side of the first of the two men who has already fallen to the ground with his spear.

Madonna and Child Here, Pinturicchio symbolically shows the mortal dangers that Christianity must face and from which it must protect itself.

In this respect, let us recall the protective role of the Madonna, which Pinturicchio thus evokes in the guise of a classical votive painting, where the Child Jesus blesses a donor.

We can, therefore, see that Pinturicchio has integrated many symbolic elements that make this work all the more interesting.

Madonna and Child