Madonna and Child by Stefano Mulinari

Madonna and Child

Stefano Mulinari · 1750

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“Stop to appreciate the tender intimacy of this Madonna and Child, an etching that captures a quiet moment of maternal affection with delicate lines and soft shading.”

ABOUT THIS WORK

This intimate etching brings us close to the Madonna and Child, a tender moment rendered with a delicate touch. The Virgin Mary gazes down at her infant son, who reaches a tiny hand toward her face, creating a circle of affection at the heart of the composition. The soft lines and subtle shading, characteristic of the etching technique, emphasize the gentle contours of their forms and the folds of Mary's drapery. The artist, Stefano Mulinari, created this work around 1750, a period when religious subjects were often depicted with a heightened sense of human emotion and accessibility. This print, likely intended for private devotion, invites a quiet contemplation of maternal love and divine innocence.

DETAILS
Artist
Stefano Mulinari
Date
1750
Medium
Etching
Location
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Dimensions
sheet: 6 13/16 x 5 1/4 in. (17.3 x 13.4 cm)
LOOK CLOSER

What to Notice

Four details hide in plain sight. Here’s where to look.

Madonna and Child
01

The delicate crosshatching that gives texture to Mary's veil and robe.

02

The way the infant Jesus's fingers gently touch his mother's cheek.

03

Mary's serene expression as she looks down at her child.

04

The subtle halo around the heads of both figures, indicating their divinity.

THE ARTIST

Stefano Mulinari

1741–1790

Italian engraver who transformed devotional scenes into intimate etchings with aquatint and colored washes.

Read Mulinari’s full story
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