"Madonna and Child with St. Francis"

This work was likely intended as the high altarpiece for the church of the Franciscan convent in the town of Reggio, though about a century later it was taken to Modena by Duke Francesco I d'Este to be hung in his palace. Town records suggest that Correggio produced the impressive work very rapidly, indicating his advanced talent for an artist of such a young age. In the work, the influence of Andrea Mantegna and Leonardo da Vinci can be noted, particularly in the use of linear perspective, chiaroscuro, sfumato, and softer, more delicate treatment of edges.