Virgin and Child
Unknown Artist
ca. 1250–75
Medium
Ivory with traces of polychromy and gilding
Dimensions
Overall: 14 15/16 x 3 5/8 x 2 11/16 in. (37.9 x 9.2 x 6.8 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
17.190.191a-e
Art Historical Context
This exquisite *Virgin and Child*, carved in northern France around 1250–75, a tender moment of divine motherhood central to medieval Christian devotion. The unknown artist depicts the Virgin Mary cradling the infant Jesus, her gentle gaze and protective embrace embodying the era's growing emphasis on Mary's humanity and accessibility. Standing nearly 15 inches tall, this statuette would have been a cherished portable object for private prayer or liturgical use in noble households or churches. Crafted from ivory—a prized medium for its creamy translucency and carvability—the sculpture retains...