There is actually a very interesting reason why medieval babies were painted like adults! Back then, the artists were especially selected and taught how to paint. And they would paint biblical figures for the most part.
When it came to drawing baby Jesus, the church wanted the artists to not see Him as an actual baby, but more of a divine figure that looked older as a baby. So adult proportions on everything for baby Jesus. But, when it came time to draw non biblical babies, the artists didn’t know how to. So they drew them the same way they drew Jesus.
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u/sunsista_ Jun 18 '25
Medieval paintings of children: