Virgin and child (Maria Lactans) between Saint Benedict and Saint Jerome
Author: Unknown
Date: 16th century
Material: Oil on chestnut
Dimensions (cm): H 192 x W 156,5
Provenance: Guimarães, Igreja de São Miguel do Castelo
Inventory No.: MAS P 8
In this painting, the Virgin is depicted with a crown, breastfeeding the Child Jesus, sitting on a throne, richly dressed and ornamented, resting her feet on two embroidered leather cushions.
Saint Benedict and Saint Jerome flank the Virgin. Saint Benedict, founder of the Benedictine Order, is depicted wearing a black habit, holding the book of the rules established by him in his left hand and a crosier on his right one. At his feet, there’s a miter alluding to his condition of bishop. Saint Jerome, one of the Doctors of the Church, wears a greyish habit trimmed with ermine leather and he is depicted martyring the chest with a stone. At his feet, there’s the lion, from whose paw the saint removed a thorn, having won his friendship.
Ignace Vandevivere e José Alberto Seabra studied a small collection of paintings (MAS P 11, MAS P 3 and MAS PD 1), where this one is included. All of them bear the same very personalized style of execution and several stylistic affinities that seem to indicate a common authorship: a Guimarães workshop that was active in the beginning of the 16th century with an interesting unknown master they chose to name Delirious Master of Guimarães.