Bidspirit auction | Style of Joos van Cleve

Style of Joos van Cleve - Virgin and Child dressed in red, 16th century - Oil on panel. Dimensions: 105 × 73.5 cm. This devotional painting depicts the Virgin Mary holding the Christ Child, unusually represented in a red tunic instead of the traditional blue mantle—a color choice that, in the Late Middle Ages and Early Renaissance, symbolically alluded to the Passion of Christ and his redemptive sacrifice. The Child, blessing and holding the orb, appears to have originally been depicted completely nude, with the later addition of a veil or transparent cloth, reflecting historical changes in the criteria of decorum and religious censorship, especially after the Council of Trent. The work, executed within the Flemish tradition and close to the circle of Joos van Cleve, is notable for the delicacy of its modeling, the compositional harmony, and the symbolic richness of its iconography. Lot in international warehouse (within the EU). Intra-EU shipping: no import duties apply within the EU. An export permit from the country of origin may be required.