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Madonna and Child with Apple and Pears

Artist Studio of Bernard van Orley (Flemish, ca. 1488–1541)
Title Madonna and Child with Apple and Pears
Date Ca. 1530
Medium Oil on panel
Dimensions Framed: 18 × 13 3/8 × 1 7/8 in. (45.7 × 34 × 4.8 cm)
Panel: 13 3/4 x 9 1/4 in. (34.9 x 23.5 cm)
Credit Line Bequest of Herman B Wells, Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University
Accession Number 2001.52

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About this Work

Flemish artists were renowned for vivid and minutely detailed descriptions of the natural world. Although the landscape seen through the window in this painting reflects the era’s interest in nature, botanical symbolism was also common in Christian imagery. The pears and apples placed prominently on the ledge often appear with the Christ Child in Renaissance painting. The apple is a symbol of the Christian concept of original sin, signifying the role Christ is believed to play as redeemer from sin and death, while the pears allude to his love for humankind.


Provenance research is ongoing for this and many other items in the Eskenazi Museum of Art permanent collection. For more information about the provenance of this artwork, please contact the department curator with specific questions.

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"Madonna and Child with Apple and Pears | Collections Online." Collections Online. Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University, 2024. https://artmuseum.indiana.edu/collections-online/browse/object.php?number=2001.52