The Virgin and Child with an Angel

This Virgin and Child with an Angel, around 1480 and in the National Gallery London, is a devotional painting of intimate scale intended for private prayer, combining the standard Madonna format with the angelic figure that adds a celestial dimension to the devotional scene. Memling was a prolific producer of such works for the wealthy merchant class of Bruges and the international clientele that his reputation attracted from across Europe. Hans Memling brought serene, refined beauty to Flemish devotional painting, becoming the leading artist in Bruges after the death of van der Weyden. The Virgin, Child, and angel arranged in a harmonious pyramidal composition — with Memling's refined technique creating luminous flesh tones and shimmering draperies — creates a devotional image of intimate beauty perfectly suited to the private prayer chambers of wealthy collectors throughout Europe.

The Virgin holds the Christ child while an angel offers a flower, the trio arranged in a harmonious pyramidal composition. Memling's refined technique creates luminous flesh tones and shimmering draperies with characteristic precision.