Andrea Briosco, called RiccioItalian, 1470–1532Virgin and Child
Can I see it?
Not on view at present
Where is “Virgin and Child” now? Collection: J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles. Not on view at present. Checked October 7, 2026.
Los Angeles, United States
It belongs to the collection, but is not on display at present.
- Checked
- In this state since
- Source
- The museum
About the sculpture
The Virgin, depicted both as a gentle, human mother and as an immortal, heavenly queen, cradles the Christ child in her arms. Andrea Briosco, called Riccio, made this sculpture while living in Padua, home to a thriving intellectual community and one of the most renowned universities in Europe. The study of ancient Greece and Rome was quite popular at the time, and Riccio combined a refined knowledge of antiquity with the Christian present, much to the delight of his contemporaries. The Virgin's dress and delicate features recall ancient Roman representations of deities. Shells, pearls, a winged putto, and a cameo decorate the crown atop her intricately arranged hair. Displaying the restless nature typical of small children, the infant Christ twists away from his mother to face the viewer. Though *Virgin and Child* was originally a full-length statue, only the upper half now survives.
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Because the figures' heads are angled downward, scholars believe that Riccio made the sculpture as the devotional centerpiece of a raised altar. Now largely stripped of color, *Virgin and Child* was once vibrantly painted. Originally, both figures had dark brown hair and pale skin. The Virgin wore a blue cloak over a red gown, while the Christ child wore a yellow garment. Scholars believe that traces of red on the Virgin's crown may be the remains of a preparatory ground for gold, suggesting that it was once gilded.
J. Paul Getty Museum
Details
- Accession number
- 2003.5
In the catalog
Sources
- J. Paul Getty Museum
- Image: J. Paul Getty Museum — Open Content
