Child in a cradle resembling a tomb in Lavinia Fontana's painting of 1583

An exceedingly rich child in a cradle, a painting by the early Baroque Bolognese artist Lavinia Fontana. 1583. That the cradle resembles a tomb has its reverse side: Jesus in the sepulchre, at this time and earlier, is sometimes depicted as if lying in a bed. As for the sumptuous pearl necklace round the child's neck, that is simply the folly of the parents, who are evidently getting above themselves with all that wealth, for with such a collar an infant might easily strangle itself in its sleep. But I hope the little one came to no harm, though in any case the person portrayed has long since died