Virgin and Child, (c. 1885) by Léon François Comerre

Léon François COMERRE (1850–1916)
Virgin and Child
Oil on canvas, signed at lower left.

Dimensions: 34.6 x 26 inches
Frame Dimensions: 48.8 x 36.2 inches

In this intimate and emotive depiction of the Virgin Mary and the Christ Child, the young Christ holds a fruit associated with the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Long interpreted as a symbol of the Fall of Adam and Eve, the fruit foreshadows Christ’s redemptive sacrifice. Mary’s contemplative expression and the tender physical closeness of the figures emphasize themes of foreknowledge, compassion, and spiritual devotion.

Léon François Comerre was a leading figure in late 19th-century French academic and Symbolist painting, celebrated for his portraits, odalisques, and allegorical subjects. Trained at the École des beaux-arts in Paris, his work reflects the influence of Pre-Raphaelite clarity and Symbolist introspection. His reputation was affirmed through major public commissions, including decorative works for the Palais Garnier in Paris. Awarded the Légion d’Honneur in 1885 and promoted to Officer in 1903, Comerre combined classical ideals with emotional subtlety, qualities evident in his religious compositions.