Religious Embroidery

Stanley Mazur

National Gallery of Art

The image shows an artistic depiction of two figures from the waist up. The larger figure is positioned slightly behind the smaller one, who is held in the crook of the larger figure's left arm. The larger figure has an oval face, with elongated features and a detailed, heavily embellished golden halo or crown. The attire is a long, flowing blue robe with a white and gold detail around the neckline. The smaller figure has a rounded face with soft features and is also encircled by a smaller golden halo or crown, featuring curly blond hair. This figure wears a vivid red robe, holds an object resembling a book, and gestures with the right hand. Both figures are encased within a circular frame in the center of the image. The background outside this circular frame is a plain, cream color.