Sandro Botticelli (1445–1510) Dans le goût de - La Vierge à l'Enfant avec saint Jean-Baptiste

An attractive oil on canvas executed in the manner of the renowned Florentine master Sandro Botticelli (1445–1510), one of the leading representatives of Italian Renaissance painting.

The composition depicts the Virgin Mary holding the Child Jesus, accompanied by the young Saint John the Baptist, recognizable by his reddish clothing and the reed cross that he holds in his hands.

The scene unfolds before a landscape of abundant vegetation, following the iconographic models characteristic of Florentine religious painting of the late fifteenth century.

The delicacy of the faces stands out, especially the Virgin’s, whose serene and melancholic expression evokes the ideals of female beauty present in numerous Botticelli compositions. The defined contours, soft flesh tones, and the rich color of the garments contribute to the work’s refined and devotional character.

Style, context and influences

The painting constitutes a historicist interpretation of the Florentine Quattrocento artistic tradition, particularly of the models developed by Sandro Botticelli and his circle.

During the Italian Renaissance, representations of the Virgin with the Child and Saint John the Baptist achieved notable diffusion, especially in Florence, where they were made for religious institutions as well as for private devotion.

Botticelli developed a pictorial language characterized by linear elegance, idealization of faces, delicacy of gestures, and compositional harmony, elements that are recognizable in this later interpretation.

The work also shows affinities with the tradition of Filippino Lippi and other Florentine masters of the late fifteenth century, especially in the arrangement of the figures, the softness of the expressions, and the ornamental treatment of the garments.

The use of golden halos, the richness of the draperies, and the presence of an idealized landscape reinforce its aesthetic link with Renaissance religious painting.

This is a devotional and decorative composition, executed with meticulous detail and marked attention to ornamental elements, representative of the interest in recovering the great models of old Italian painting.

Framing and condition

The work is presented in an ornate gilt frame, decorated with classical-inspired moldings and reliefs, which complements the religious and Renaissance character of the composition.

The frame is included as a gift, with no commercial value, and therefore not part of the painting’s appraised value.

The conservation status of the work is as shown in the photographs, which form an integral part of the description.

Packaging and shipping

The painting will be carefully packaged with materials appropriate to ensure its protection during transport.

Any possible customs duties, import taxes, and local fees will be the responsibility of the purchaser when applicable. Shipments to insular territories or special zones may be subject to additional conditions and costs.