Madonna and Child with the Infant Saint John the Baptist - Orsola Maddalena Caccia

A devotional oil painting by Orsola Maddalena Caccia, featuring the Virgin Mary, the Christ Child, and the infant Saint John the Baptist.

Orsola Maddalena Caccia, a nun and painter active in Moncalvo, produced this devotional work during the seventeenth century. The composition features the Virgin Mary seated with the Christ Child, accompanied by the young Saint John the Baptist. The figures occupy a wooded setting, which allows for the inclusion of specific botanical details. Caccia, known for her interest in still-life elements, incorporates various flowers and birds into the foreground and background, providing a naturalistic counterpoint to the religious subject matter.

The Virgin wears a red tunic beneath a deep blue mantle, a traditional colour scheme for such iconography. The Christ Child reaches towards a flower held by his mother, while the infant Saint John kneels beside a lamb, holding a cross staff inscribed with the words Ecce Agnus Dei. The background reveals a distant, hilly view, rendered with atmospheric perspective that suggests depth beyond the immediate figures.

Caccia spent her life within the convent of the Ursulines, where she received training from her father, Guglielmo Caccia. Her work often combines the formal requirements of Counter-Reformation religious art with a personal focus on natural observation. The inclusion of flora and fauna reflects a broader interest in the natural world common among artists of the period. The painting demonstrates a balanced arrangement of figures, with the light directed to illuminate the faces and the soft skin of the children. The textures of the fabric, the delicate petals of the flowers, and the soft fur of the lamb are handled with precision. This piece offers a view into the artistic output of a female painter working within a monastic environment, demonstrating both technical skill and a clear adherence to the stylistic conventions of the Italian Baroque.