Virgin and Child
Unknown Artist
1270–80
Medium
Ivory
Dimensions
Overall: 7 7/8 x 2 11/16 x 1 5/8 in. (20 x 6.8 x 4.2 cm)
Classification
Ivories
Culture
North French
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917
Accession Number
17.190.190
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate ivory statuette of the *Virgin and Child*, crafted by an unknown North French artist around 1270–80, exemplifies the devotional art of the High Gothic period. just under 8 inches tall, it captures the tender intimacy between Mary and the infant Jesus, a ubiquitous theme in medieval Christian iconography symbolizing divine motherhood and humanity's salvation. Produced in northern France—a hub for Gothic sculpture—this piece likely served as a personal prayer object for nobility or clergy, portable enough for private altars or travel. Ivory, sourced from elephant tusks, was a luxu...