Dome

The Christ Child removes a garland from his head and grasps the reed cross from the infant Saint John the Baptist who wears his camel skin cloak and carries a baptismal bowl. The female saint might be Saint Elizabeth, but is more likely to be Saint Anne. The reed cross foreshadows Christ's Passion, while the wild strawberries offered to Christ by Saint John may be interpreted as referring to the fruitful and righteous life of Christ. It was probably painted in the 1540s and has been related both to the style of 'An Allegory with venus and Cupid' and to other works of this period. Another version (Parma, Galleria Nazionale) omits the female saint. (National Gallery, London, website; 4/8/2004)detail, Madonna & Christ child