BRUEGHEL, Jan the Elder
(b. ca. 1568, Brussel, d. 1625, Antwerpen)

Virgin and Child Surrounded by Flowers and Fruit

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Oil on panel, 79 x 65 cm
Museo del Prado, Madrid

This painting is the result of a collaboration between Rubens and Jan Brueghel, the former being responsible for the figures and the latter for the flowers and fruit.

The painting reflects the custom of garlanding cult images with wreaths of flowers, just as the ancient Greeks did with the statues of their gods: here, however, the flowers are gathered from a spiritual garden.