Madonna Of The Pilgrim With The Child; Oil On Copper Plate, 18th Century

A devotional painting depicting the Madonna del Pellegrino with the Child, executed in oil on a thin copper plate and dating as early as the 18th century. The composition, intimate and of modest size, shows the Virgin in half-length, wrapped in a large veil and wearing an inner robe of intense carmine red.Of particular visual significance is the golden crown resting on the Virgin’s head, an element that lends the image a distinctively regal and devotional character. The crown, whose gilding remains clearly visible, creates an effective contrast with the dark background. The iconography of the Madonna del Pellegrino evokes the vast world of devotion associated with travel and pilgrimages to Rome, taking on a particularly evocative meaning in relation to the Via Francigena, the ancient route that connected northern Europe to the city of St. Peter by crossing Italian territory. Small Marian depictions such as this one are part of a devotional culture in which the image of the Virgin served as a symbol of protection, comfort, and trust during the journey.
Condition: fair. There is localized color loss, particularly along the dark veil covering the Virgin’s head. The flesh tones retain good clarity and pictorial freshness.


Dimensions: approximately 26 × 20 cm