The Madonna of the Rosary

The "Madonna of the Rosary" is a painting by Daniele Crespi, an Italian Baroque painter active in the 17th century. Crespi was known for the direct emotional appeal and simple compositions of his religious works. He was influenced by a realistic style advocated by the Council of Trent.1

The rosary itself is a popular Marian devotion in Roman Catholicism, involving prayers recited with the aid of a chaplet, or rosary, and centered on the Hail Mary. The theme of the Madonna, a depiction of the Virgin Mary, is common in Christian art, often showing her with the infant Christ. Crespi's "Madonna of the Rosary" (c. 1615) is noted for its simplicity and humanization of religious experiences.234