The Christ Child holds a rosary. The book on the parapet is inscribed with passages in Latin from Psalms 51 and 70 used in the morning service, such as 'O Lord open Thou my lips; and my mouth shall show forth Thy praise' and 'Make haste, O God, to deliver me; make haste to help me, O Lord'. The Virgin's halo is inscribed with the words of the prayer 'Ave Maria Gratia Plena Domin[us Tecum] ...' (Hail Mary, full of Grace, the Lord [is with thee]).
In the background to the right, the Charterhouse at Pavia is seen in the course of construction which suggests the dating for this picture. Bergognone was one of the leading painters in Milan at the time, and made several paintings for Pavia.
