Title: Madonna of the Cherries

Artist: Quentin Metsys

Madonna of the Cherries About 1520–25 Quentin Metsys Netherlandish, Leuven 1465 or 1466–Antwerp 1530 Oil on panel This striking painting is one of the artist’s most famous works. Christ, portrayed as a robust infant, gently kisses his mother, the Virgin, who squeezes him tightly. They are seated on an immense throne of precious stones, which is adorned with gold tracery and jewels and enclosed by silk curtains. By situating the loving portrayal of holy mother and son in a sumptuous setting, Metsys celebrated their regal status and the intimate human relationship at the center of the Christian tradition. The Virgin delicately flourishes cherries, the fruit of Paradise whose bright color alludes to the blood of Christ’s future sacrifice on the cross.