Madonna and Child

Abstract

This sculpture depicts a half-length Madonna and Child. Mary cradles her child closely and gazes downward. She is wearing a maphorion, a headcovering that covers women's heads and shoulders. Maphorions were often seen in Byzantine depictions of the Virgin Mary. The sculpture is inspired by Byzantine iconography, specifically the Madonna Elouisa, also known as the Virgin of Tenderness. This particular iconography shows the Mother and Child in a tender embrace; Christ sometimes holds his palm compassionately close to his mother’s cheek. The sculpture also resembles Florentine half-length reliefs of the Madonna and Child used for private and domestic devotion, such as those attributed to Lorenzo Ghiberti, Jacopo della Quercia, or Nanni di Banco. Damage from wood-burrowing insects is evident. The sculpture is located in the Museo d’Arte Sacra Don Clemente Confalone in Maiori, Campania. Photograph(s) licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.