Flemish school; c.1600.

Flemish school; c.1600.
"Virgin and Child".
Oil on pine board. Cradled.
Measurements: 61 x 50 cm.
The Virgin, a young girl with golden hair, looks enraptured at her son who is lying on cushions and looks towards the spectator. Her carefree and childish attitude, contrasts with the seriousness that shows the sweet face of the Virgin, who delicately touches one of the small feet of her son, while with the other hand holds a red flower. A flower that is part of a larger group of flowers, whose colors are not alien to the Christian message, thus announcing the purity represented by the white and the passion of the intense red of the petals. The author takes care of the glazes and transparencies to describe the fineness of the Marian veil that stands out for its quality and delicacy. Intense hallmarks of light modulate the faces, whose white flesh tones seem to give off a light of their own.
During the 15th century, the influence of the Flemish school of painting was key in the development of European art, especially in Spain, which was linked to the Netherlands by political and economic ties. At that time, the Flemish painters established a stylistic model based on the search for reality, focusing on the rendering of the qualities of objects, giving special importance to secondary details and using a smooth and draftsmanlike technique. In the 16th century, as a result of the introduction of the novelties of the Italian Renaissance, the Flemish style evolved towards a more classical and sculptural sense, while retaining its own characteristics. This change was also transferred to the Hispano-Flemish school, which also had independent channels of penetration of the Italian style.