Venetian School
The Madonna del Parto

Second half of the 16th century
Church of Santa Maria Formosa

This is an example of the Madonna Lactans, the Madonna giving milk to the Christ Child. The dove and the crowning of the mother as she nurses are unusual in Madonnas of this period.

This image in full resolution
More of portraits of the Virgin Mary

Photographed at the church by Claire Stracke, shared under Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license.