Mary sits in front of a Renaissance shrine. The figures look like sculptures, as was customary in Gossaert from 1508-1509 on. They reflect his study of ancient sculptures and the drawings he made during his trip to Rome in the company of his patron, Phillip de Bourgogne. Despite the plastic character of his Romanism, there are also echoes of Raphael in the pyramidal composition. Faithful to the Flemish tradition in which he was trained, Gossaert renders the qualities of materials with precision and incorporates hidden symbols into his works. Both the image of Jesus abandoning Mary´s bosom while simultaneously embracing her, and stepping on a book; their pensive expressions, and the presence of an apple, alluding to the Virgin as the new Eve, evoke the Redemption. This work belonged to Felipe II, who gave it to the Monastery of El Escorial in 1572.