A Madona e o Menino
1515
Giulio Francia, son of a famous painter, basically took over the family workshop in Bologna and ran with the trends of the time. Here, he paints the Virgin Mary in her classic blue and red, holding a tiny prayer book, while a surprisingly sturdy, toddler-like Jesus stands on a ledge. The baby isn't just sitting there; he's pointing off into the distance with a serious expression, looking like a little philosopher. This 'Madonna of the Parapet' style was super popular in the early 1500s, showing how artists were moving away from stiff, golden backgrounds to realistic landscapes and chubby, human-looking babies.
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