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Primary sourcePainting1310

The Virgin and Child

Giotto · 1310

A devotional painting by Giotto of the Virgin Mary holding the infant Christ.

This devotional painting of the Virgin and Child is attributed to Giotto.

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Painting on gold ground of the Virgin Mary in a dark blue mantle and white veil with a halo, holding a child in a pink robe who reaches up to touch her chin; her hand rests on her chest.
Giotto, The Virgin and Child, 1310.

About this source

What it is

This gold-ground panel painting by Giotto shows the Virgin Mary in a dark blue mantle and white veil, holding a child who reaches up to touch her chin. It is dated to 1310.

Why it matters

Images of the Virgin and Child were among the most common subjects in medieval and early Renaissance art, meant for private or church devotion. Giotto's version shows a tender, intimate gesture between mother and child, part of his broader move toward more naturalistic and emotionally expressive religious painting.

Look closer

  • What does the gesture of the child touching his mother's chin suggest about their relationship?
  • Why might the artist have used a gold background instead of a landscape or room?
  • What clues in the painting suggest it was meant for quiet, personal prayer?

This painting is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Giotto on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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