Maria met kind 1851 - 1859

Andreas Fleischmann made this print of the Virgin and Child sometime in the mid-19th century. It’s a formal and idealized depiction, rooted in a long history of Christian art, but adapted to the aesthetic and social conditions of 19th-century Europe. Fleischmann was working in an era of burgeoning print culture. Technological advancements made it easier to reproduce and disseminate images widely. Religious prints like this one catered to a growing market of middle-class consumers eager to express their piety and domestic respectability. The print presents a vision of maternal tenderness and religious devotion that reinforced conservative social values. The institutional history of art is relevant here, as Fleischmann was associated with the Düsseldorf school of art, which promoted a revival of religious art and a rejection of modern secularism. Understanding this print requires historical context. By researching the art market, religious movements, and the Düsseldorf school, we can better understand the complex interplay of art, religion, and society in 19th-century Germany.