The artwork, titled “Madonna and Child with Seraphim and Cherubim,” was created by Andrea Mantegna around the year 1454. This Early Renaissance religious painting, executed in wood, gold, and tempera, is currently housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (Met) in New York City, NY, US.
In the artwork, the Virgin Mary is depicted tenderly cradling the infant Jesus. This intimate and serene composition is set against a gold-hued backdrop filled with ethereal seraphim and cherubim, which provides a sense of heavenly presence. The use of gold imbues the scene with a divine radiance, while the detailed rendering of the figures showcases Mantegna’s mastery of the tempera medium. The fine drapery and the delicate expressions capture the solemn yet tender moment, characteristic of the Early Renaissance emphasis on realism and emotion in religious art.
