Francesco Bissolo was a student of the Italian High Renaissance painter Giovanni Bellini (ca. 1430-1516). Following the style of Bellini’s Venetian school, Bissolo’s work maintains the bold tones and brilliant light to define figures and achieve drama. Bissolo employs human emotion and expression popularized during the High Renaissance, as seen here in the tender connection between Mary and the infant Jesus. An atmospheric Italian landscape frames the pair, creating a familiar setting for the Renaissance audience. Bissolo creates an interesting duality in the Christ child’s pose, as his right hand is raised in a gesture of blessing while his left fidgets with his mother’s belt, creating an image of Christ as both divine and human.
