Saint Anne and the Virgin with the Child

Lucas Cranach the Elder

National Gallery of Art

The image shows two women holding an infant. The woman on the left is slightly hunched over and holding the child with her arms wrapped around it, while the woman on the right stands close by, also supporting the child with her arms. The woman on the left appears to have her hair covered by a headdress, whereas the woman on the right has long, flowing and curly hair. Both women wear flowing garments that drape down to their feet. The infant they are holding is small and is swaddled in cloth. A crowned figure above them is intersected by radiant beams of light, holding a book and a staff, with cherubic figures surrounding the composition. The background is filled with cloud formations.