Roque de Balduque
The Cáceres Altarpiece: Detail, the Birth of the Virgin Mary
1547-51
Cáceres Cathedral, Cáceres, Spain
Balduque has modernized the subject somewhat by replacing the traditional washing basin with an elegant cradle, complete with rocker rails. Although an innovation, this is consonant with the tradition of presenting the birthing chamber as a sumptuous space in a wealthy person's home.
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View the entire altarpiece.
Read more about Mary's early life.
Photographed at the cathedral by Richard Stracke, shared under Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license.