She has either just bathed, or is about to bathe, the Christ Child in front of the fire. The scene corresponds to no passage in the Gospels, but is inspired by the devotional literature which was widely current in the Netherlands at the time. His mother is without doubt the Virgin, for she wears her hair loose like an unmarried girl or a queen at her coronation.
Haloes radiate from both their heads.
The lighted candle may symbolise the marriage candle, for she is not only the Mother, but also the Bride of Christ. Almost more magically, he is able to evoke the distant sky through the open window and through the small leaded glass panes above. The original frame and support are carved from a single piece of wood. Web Gallery of Art, created by Emil Kren and Daniel Marx .