The Virgin with the Child, Saint John and Three Angels
1536.Not on display
One of Cranach´s customary compositions with the Virgin Mary holding the Christ Child on her lap. Jesus takes some grapes from the hands of young Saint John while three angels hold a finely wrinkled red cloth behind them, forming a sort of canopy. A landscape at the upper left of the painting recalls the artist´s training in the Danube school. This work is outstanding for its firm drawing, the predominance of line over color and the elegant play of curves, counter-curves and undulations in the characters´ hair. The light dilutes some profiles and slight sfumato effects create a certain degree of melancholy in the midst of this joyous scene.
