From Wikipedia - Reading time: 5 min
| Biddende Maria | |
|---|---|
| Artist | Quentin Massys |
| Year | ca. 1500[1] |
| Medium | Oil on panel |
| Dimensions | 40.9 cm × 30.6 cm (16.1 in × 12 in) |
| Location | Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp, Antwerp |
The Biddende Maria (Mary in Prayer or Virgin at prayer) is an oil-on-panel painting by the Flemish Renaissance artist Quentin Matsys. The painting was produced in the first decade of the 16th century, probably in 1500.[1] The painting is currently housed at the Royal Museum of Fine Arts in Antwerp. The panel is the interior of the left wing of a diptych[1][2] with the painting on the other side being a Salvator Mundi.[3]
The painting depicts Mary at prayer.[1] Her head is covered with a gauze veil upon which rests a crown. The painting's delicate rendering and soft hues create a sweetness that is tempered by the figure's stately and austere bearing.[4]