High Romantic religious painting with Maria and Jesus child was executed in 1859 by prominent Austrian historical and genre painter and lithographer Franz Xaver Schams (Vienna 1824 - 1883 Vienna).

Son of a tailor, Schams studied 1837–40 at the Viennese Academy of Fine Arts, 1840–44 with the engraver Edler, then apprenticeship with the engraver Jaranek in Prague. In 1846/47 he attended the art academy of the association patriot. Art friends in Prague and then returned to Vienna to the Academy of Fine Arts. As a result, private student of F. G. Waldmüller, he achieved a certain independence and became generally known. In 1854/55 he stayed according to with H. v. Ferstel and F. Dobiaschofsky in Rome. In 1861 he became a member of the union of visual artists in Vienna. From 1872 S. was in Vienna by Reiffenstein. In his company as an artist. Leiter was entrusted with the production of chromolithographs, which he carried out based on his own as well as the works of other painters. In the 1950s, S. initially painted historical pictures from older Austrian history, but also created altarpieces for some churches in Lower Austria. Later he turned more to genre painting, where he was small, humorous. Scenes from everyday life preferred. S. belonged to that generation of Viennese painters who grew up in the Biedermeier world of ideas and carried it on until the end of the 19th century. This is documented by both his pictorial themes and the meticulous painting technique. He did understand, however, the spirit of Old Viennese Bourgeoisie with the sharper satire. Train of the new times to merge in his works. Exhibition: Vienna 1884 (memorial exhibition). Works by him are in the Austrian National Gallery Belvedere and altar pieces in the churches of Austria.

Literature: art lexicons in French: by Bénézit; in German: Fuchs; Müller-Singer; Seubert; Thieme-Becker; Wurzbach; F. v. Boetticher; A. Schaeffer, "Die k. Gemälde-Galerie in Wien. Moderne Meister", 1903, G. Frodl, Wr. Malerei der Biedermeierzeit, 1987; "Geschichtsbilder aus dem alten Österreich", Castle Halbthurn 1989.

Inscription: signed and dated 1859 lower left.

Technique: oil on canvas. Original period gold frame.

Measurements: unframed w 17 7/8 " x h 31 1/8 " (45,5 x 66,5 cm), framed w 26 1/4" x h 32 2/3 " (61,5 x 83 cm).

Condition: in very good condition.