Virgin and child.

Gouache on vellum, written in black and red ink, gold leaf, 10,7 x 8 cm, signed.

Loose sheet.

A rare devotional miniature made as a remembrance to the second Communion of Alexandre Emmanuel (1942-2009), prince of Belgium, at the royal palace of Laeken on 10 June 1954. The miniature was made in the Abbey of Maredret, which has been famous for its calligraphy workshop since the foundation of the Benedictine abbey in 1893. At Maredret they try to recreate the old traditions of Medieval miniature production. Between 1950 and 1970 sister Marie-Louise Lemaire was the leading artist of this rediscovered art.
Ref. T. Coomans & J. De Maeyer (eds.), "Renaissance de l'enluminure Médiévale: Manuscrits et Enluminures belges du XIXe siècle et leurs contexte européen", Leuven 2007, p. 305.