Virgin and Child with St. John

Arent van Bolten

ca. 1625 (cast 19th or early 20th century) · Gilt-silver electrotype. · Robert Lehman Collection

A circular plaque surrounded by a laurel wreath shows Mary sitting under a tree, nursing the Infant Christ with Saint John standing to her left. He holds a cross and strokes a lamb at his feet. The scene is set against a rocky landscape with buildings and a bridge in the background. While this piece is an electrotype, it was deliberately made to look like an authentic chased or cast plaquette, with extra silver soldered to the reverse, forming a zigzag test line intended to bolster the genuine character. The maker’s mark has not been identified.

Artist

Arent van Bolten

Date

ca. 1625 (cast 19th or early 20th century)

Medium

Gilt-silver electrotype.

Culture

Netherlandish or South German

Department

Robert Lehman Collection

Credit line

Robert Lehman Collection, 1975