Virgin and Child

This utterly human portrayal of mother and child is enhanced by Gossaert's extraordinary ability to render the tactile qualities of flesh, fabrics, and even the Virgin's pearl headband. The devotional text added somewhat later around the curved top of the painting and Mary's trailing veil are hardly visible because their color values have shifted naturally over time, the paint has become more transparent and now blends into the dark background. Remarkably, this painting retains its original engaged frame, painted to simulate veined marble. (http://www.metmuseum.org)