Madonna di Loreto (Caravaggio)

The Madonna di Loreto, also known as the Pilgrim's Madonna, is a painting by the Italian Baroque master Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, executed circa 1604-1606. It is housed in the Sant'Agostino church, near Piazza Navona in Rome.

The painting depicts the Virgin Mary with the infant Jesus appearing before two kneeling pilgrims. One is an elderly woman, the other an older man with bare, dirty feet, a clear sign of their arduous pilgrimage. Mary stands in a doorway, bathed in light, holding the child Jesus who blesses the pilgrims.

The Madonna di Loreto is notable for its realism. Caravaggio frequently used ordinary people as models for his religious figures. This is evident in the weathered faces and rough clothing of the pilgrims, as well as the naturalistic depiction of Mary. The dramatic use of light and shadow (tenebrism), a hallmark of Caravaggio's style, adds to the painting's emotional impact and realism. The subject matter, a depiction of the Virgin Mary as a compassionate figure receiving humble pilgrims, reflects the Counter-Reformation's emphasis on accessibility and piety.

The painting has been both praised and criticized throughout its history. Some viewers found the depiction of Mary too earthly and the pilgrims' appearance too unidealized. Others admired Caravaggio's ability to capture the humanity of the figures and the sacredness of the encounter. The Madonna di Loreto remains a significant work in Caravaggio's oeuvre and an example of his revolutionary approach to religious art. The identity of the models used by Caravaggio for this painting has been a subject of speculation and debate among art historians.