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Virgin and Child
Hans Memling, c. 1470–80
This small panel was once the left half of a devotional diptych, a hinged pair of paintings. The Christ child looks at something outside the picture and raises his hand as if in recognition. The other panel, hinged on the right, would have shown a portrait of the owner in prayer. It is now lost.
The Cleveland Museum of Art explains that diptychs of this kind were popular from after 1400 until about the 1530s. They were used in private chapels, or within the curtains of four-poster beds, and could be closed when not in use.
Hans Memling was born near Frankfurt, settled in Bruges around 1465 and supplied works to the Burgundian court. The museum says this example appears to be by a member of his workshop. It measures only about 31 by 22 centimetres.
From the museum record
| Artist | Hans Memling |
|---|---|
| Date | c. 1470–80 |
| Medium | Oil on wood |
| Size | Unframed: 31.5 x 22 cm |
| Museum | The Cleveland Museum of Art |
| Credit line | Delia E. Holden and L. E. Holden Funds |
| Accession number | 1934.29 |
| Licence | Open Access (CC0) |
Source: The Cleveland Museum of Art collection record. Facts such as dates, sizes and credit lines come from that record. The write-up above was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the museum record and standard references. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
