Virgin and Child (school of) Alessandro Botticelli (1445-1510)

This painting depicts the Virgin Mary holding the Christ Child. Mary is shown with a serene expression, draped in a dark cloak over a red garment. The Child is in her arms, looking upwards, and holding a golden sphere, possibly symbolizing the Earth or signifying Christ as the Savior of the World.
The background reveals an architectural setting with classical columns flanking the figures and a detailed landscape with buildings and a body of water, suggesting a Renaissance Italian setting. The sky is a soft blue with a few birds flying.
The subtexts of this painting are rich with religious symbolism. The Virgin and Child imagery is central to Christianity, representing divine love, humanitys salvation, and the mother-son bond. The golden sphere held by Christ is a common iconographic element referring to his universal dominion. The serene demeanor of Mary and the innocent gaze of the Child evoke themes of purity, tenderness, and divine grace. The architectural and landscape elements may symbolize the established order of the Church and the world that Christ came to redeem, or they could represent a divine realm. The painting, as a school of work, likely follows established conventions of religious art from its period, aiming to inspire piety and devotion.