The Madonna Teaching the Infant Christ to Walk 1614

Editor: This is Raffaello Schiaminossi’s “The Madonna Teaching the Infant Christ to Walk.” It’s a rather small engraving, but the scene feels intimate. The figures are so carefully placed. What story do you think Schiaminossi is trying to tell here? Curator: It whispers, doesn't it? The crosshatching creates a hushed atmosphere. I see a very human moment, Mary coaxing Jesus, while Joseph watches. It's divine, yet domestic. I wonder, does the humble setting amplify the extraordinary nature of the child? Editor: That's a lovely way to put it. It makes me think about how even the most sacred figures have these everyday moments. Curator: Exactly. Perhaps that’s the point.