The object in context
The Royal Museums’ 2016 selection identifies this work by Quinten Metsys: oak panel, inventory 1497. The list does not give a creation date for this entry. Its inventory number distinguishes the Brussels object from versions or reproductions elsewhere. The old list records a collection location in 2016, not a guarantee of display today.
Try this when you look
Compare the hands, the direction of the faces and the distance between mother and child. Choose one gesture and describe it without naming an emotion. Only then compare it with another Virgin and Child. The shared subject makes the differences in framing, material and attention easier to notice.
Before you visit
Check the museum’s current collection presentation using this inventory number. For a short visit, pair this object with one related work and reserve time to compare them. The room numbers in the historical PDF should not be used as a present-day floor plan.
- The object in context: The Royal Museums’ 2016 selection identifies this work by Quinten Metsys: oak panel, inventory 1497.
- Try this when you look: Compare the hands, the direction of the faces and the distance between mother and child.
- Before you visit: Check the museum’s current collection presentation using this inventory number.