Group, 'Seated Virgin and Child', terracotta with traces of paint and gilding, Florentine, possibly Donatello, Italy, Florence, ca. 1415

The Virgin is represented seated on a throne or chair, which is set at an angle to the front plane of the base, with its left forward foot retracted and its right forward foot advanced. The four feet of the chair have the form of lion paws, the forward arms (of which only that on the left is preserved) are modelled in the form of a fir-cone, and the rear arms curve outwards and terminate in a scroll. At the point of juncture of the arms are bosses in the form of lion masks. The statuette is modelled with a flat back, excavated below the Virgin's shoulder's and beneath the seat. A broad horizontal strip between these two hollows is decorated with a diamond pattern, and perhaps represents the back of the throne or chair. The Virgin's knees conform to the front plane of the seat, and her right elbow rests on the rear arm. Her two hands meet on her lap, and her head is inclined slightly to her left towards the Child, who is represented with both arms round her neck pressing his head against her cheek. Her robe is drawn in by a tight girdle beneath the breasts, and is covered by a voluminous cloak with a turndown collar embroidered with imitation Cufic and terminating in tassels. The robe is edged with a fringed border decorated with imitation Cufic; its end emerges between the feet of the seat on the right. The Child's thighs are covered with a cloth which falls over the Virgin's left hand.

Purchased from the Gigli-Campana Collection.

The group is most closely related to a Virgin and Child in the Detroit Institute of Arts.

The group is closest to the work of the Florentine sculptors Lorenzo Ghiberti (1378-1455) and the young Donatello (1385/86-1466), and to that of the painter, Massaccio (1401-1428), and must have been produced in a Florentine workshop in their circle.

The Virgin is shown embracing the Christ Child while seated on a folding chair, reflecting a throne. This image of mother and son is close to the style of Ghiberti’s workshop, where the young Donatello worked in about 1404–7. The lyrical sway of the Virgin reflects the graceful manner of the older master. Another similar group is in the Detroit Institute of Arts. Both groups are given by some scholars to the young Donatello.

7573-1861