The Virgin and Child
Statue
end of the 15th century (made)
end of the 15th century (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The Virgin stands frontally on the crescent moon, supporting the Child who lies across her arms on a white cloth which he holds with his right hand. Her head is slightly inclined towards the infant Jesus.The shape of the crescent moon would not have provided sufficient stability for the figure to be placed in an altarpiece. In addition, the two rectangular iron bars, along with relatively large holes in the head and at the base of the crescent moon, and the elaborate carved and gilded back of the Virgin, suggest that the figure was in fact suspended from the vault, probably framed within a circle of the rosary.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | The Virgin and Child |
| Materials and techniques | Painted wood |
| Brief description | Virgin and child; Wood painted German 15th cent |
| Physical description | Figure in painted wood. The Virgin stands on the crescent moon supporting the Child who lies naked across her arms on a white cloth, which he holds with his right hand. The Virgin's hair falls in ringlet over her shoulders down her back. The Virgin's crown is missing and there are a few breakages on the edges of the folds, but the colour, gold on the Virgin's robe and brown for the hair, as well as flesh tints, appears to be early if not original. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Gallery label | The Virgin and Child
About 1520–5
Decorated with equal attention to the front and back,
and with metal fixings on the top of her head, this
figure was suspended from the vault of a church. Its
theatricality was not unusual in German churches of
this period.
The biblical book of Revelation describes a woman,
commonly associated with the Virgin, standing on a
crescent moon and wearing a crown with twelve stars.
This figure was originally crowned, possibly with a
metal crown with glass or enamel decoration.
Germany, Bavaria
Painted limewood
Purchased with funds from the Murray Bequest
Museum no. A.21-1941(Nov 2010) |
| Credit line | Purchased with funds from the Murray Bequest |
| Object history | Purchased from Mr W.F Ohly for £250 with funds from the Murray Bequest. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | The Virgin stands frontally on the crescent moon, supporting the Child who lies across her arms on a white cloth which he holds with his right hand. Her head is slightly inclined towards the infant Jesus.The shape of the crescent moon would not have provided sufficient stability for the figure to be placed in an altarpiece. In addition, the two rectangular iron bars, along with relatively large holes in the head and at the base of the crescent moon, and the elaborate carved and gilded back of the Virgin, suggest that the figure was in fact suspended from the vault, probably framed within a circle of the rosary. |
| Bibliographic references |
|
| Collection | |
| Accession number | A.21-1941 |
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| Record created | June 24, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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