Artwork
Virgin and Child
Virgin and Child is an unspecified painting. It dates from 1350 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The work portrays the Virgin Mary cradling the infant Christ, a canonical representation of the Madonna and Child motif that underscores the theological themes of divine incarnation and maternal protection. In this iconography, Mary is identified by her halo and modest attire, while the child’s gesture of blessing signifies his role as savior; the surrounding stillness emphasizes the sacred intimacy of the family unit. As a religious painting from the mid‑14th century, the piece functions both as an object of devotional focus and a visual sermon on humility and grace, reflecting the period’s emphasis on human‑scale representations of holy narratives.
Technique & Style
The painting is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is cataloged under the accession number 25.
The Virgin and Child is a religious painting created around 1350. Executed as a panel painting, the work measures 92.7 centimeters in height. Created by an anonymous artist, the piece depicts the Madonna and Child, adhering to the conventions of mid-14th-century religious art.
The painting is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is cataloged under the accession number 25.120.235. As a work from this period, it represents a significant example of devotional imagery from the mid-1300s.
History & Provenance
The Virgin and Child is dated to circa 1350 based on stylistic and technical analysis recorded in the Metropolitan Museum’s records and cataloguing. The painting entered the museum’s collection in 1925 as a gift of the Michael Friedsam Foundation, accessioned as 25.120.235. It is attributed to an anonymous fourteenth-century Italian hand, reflecting the common anonymity of workshop practices at the time.
No documented commission or original patron is recorded for the work, which is typical for many early Italian panel paintings that circulated through open markets or devotional networks rather than specific orders or individuals.
The Virgin and Child painting is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, where it is recorded under accession number 25.120.235. The museum’s documentation identifies the object as part of its holdings, and no alternative location is indicated in the sources. Regarding exhibition history, the consulted references do not mention any past displays, loans, or temporary exhibitions involving this work; consequently, its exhibition record remains undocumented in the available material.
Overview
This sculpture, titled Virgin and Child, depicts a maternal figure cradling a smaller figure close to her body. The work exhibits characteristics of an aged piece, showing signs of wear and material degradation. Its composition emphasizes the protective embrace between the two subjects, rendered with a sense of quiet solemnity.
Context
Over time, the sculpture has sustained damage, manifesting as cracks and missing elements, particularly within the intricate drapery. Such deterioration is typical for older carvings made from materials like stone or wood, indicating the artwork's considerable age and its journey through centuries. These imperfections now contribute to its historical character.
Artist & collection
- Virgin and Child
Virgin and Child
Virgin and Child
Saint Eleuthere or Saint Rustique
St. John the Evangelist, probably from a Crucifixion Group
Virgin and Child
Mourning Woman
Seated Virgin and Child
Marble statue of a headless draped figure
Saint Eleuthere or Saint Rustique
Saint John
Saint Anne with the Virgin and Child