Virgin and Child
Unknown Artist
ca. 1340
Medium
Marble, gilding
Dimensions
Overall (with base): 32 x 9 1/2 x 6 5/16 in. (81.3 x 24.1 x 16 cm) without base: 30 3/8 x 9 3/8 x 5 5/16 in. (77.2 x 23.8 x 13.5 cm) Base: 1 5/8 x 9 1/2 x 6 5/16 in. (4.1 x 24.1 x 16 cm)
Classification
Sculpture-Stone
Culture
French
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917
Accession Number
17.190.721
Art Historical Context
This exquisite *Virgin and Child*, carved 1340 in France, exemplifies the tender piety of late medieval sculpture. Crafted from marble and enriched with gilding, the statue stands about 30 inches tall without its base, portraying the Virgin Mary gently cradling the Christ Child in a classic devotional pose. Such intimate groupings were beloved in Gothic art, serving as focal points for prayer in churches, homes, or chapels, inviting worshippers to contemplate divine motherhood. Dating to the mid-14th century—just before the Black Death reshaped Europe—this French work reflects the refined ele...