A beautiful 19th-century oil on canvas depicting the Madonna and child after a 16th-century work by Antonio Allegri da Correggio (1489-1534). Here, we see the Madonna dressed in what’s considered to be ‘gypsy’ clothing as she nurses her tiny son. She’s resting in a forest glade while undertaking an arduous journey to Egypt.

This fine piece captures the appearance of Correggio’s work prior to a clean in 1935 when several details were removed including the rabbit on the left.

It’s interesting to consider the symbolic meaning of the rabbit, which looks upwards towards the heavens. Perhaps it’s a symbol of fertility and new life? Did the original once hang in a young merchant’s home in the hope of a new arrival?

The painting is housed within a fine period frame.

Medium: Oil on canvas
Overall size: 14” x 16” / 36cm x 41cm
Year of creation: c. 1900
Provenance: England
Condition: Very presentable. Light craquelure but the paint layer is stable. Canvas relined.