Madonna and Child

Here the Virgin holds the infant Jesus on her lap, gently cradling one foot in her hand. Images like this were meant to highlight Mary's maternal nature. Certain pigments change or fade over time. This can be seen here in the skin tones, where the prepatory sketches are visible through the paint. This is one of the artworks presented by the Liverpool Royal Institution. Liverpool’s economic development grew directly from Britain’s involvement with transatlantic slavery: the kidnapping, enslavement and forced migration of people from West Africa to the Americas and many to the Caribbean. Many members of the Royal Institution made their fortunes directly through the trade or indirectly through the wider economy. This wealth was largely how they were able to bring rare art and treasures, such as this, to the city.