Madonna and Child
A single, theatrical light pierces the darkness, striking the pale skin of an infant and the side of a woman's face. This 1650 oil painting by Gerard Seghers uses deep shadows to carve form out of the gloom. The Madonna wears a gown of saturated crimson red, a sharp contrast against the heavy blacks and earthy ochre of the background. Every fold in the drapery carries weight, rendered with a…









