Virgin and Child

Unknown

ca. 1270–1300 · Copper: repoussé, engraved, gilt, cut out and nailed; champlevé enamel: lapis and light blue, red; gems; wood core (walnut) · Medieval Art

Through the course of the thirteenth century, goldsmiths in Limoges increasingly specialized in the creation of gilded copper sculpture—freestanding, as here, or in relief, with enamel used only as a decorative accent. As Queen of Heaven, the Virgin Mary wears a crown (as does the infant Jesus), richly decorated shoes, a cloak engraved with a fur pattern, and a delicate filigree brooch. The inscription across the front of the statuette reads, in translation, “Hail Mary, full of grace.” This is more than a devotional image: with a hinged compartment set in the back of the throne, this Virgin and Child served as a tabernacle to safeguard the host, the wafer of bread consecrated during the mass as the body of Christ. An enameled image of Saint Peter, holding keys, stands guard at the door.

Artist

Unknown

Date

ca. 1270–1300

Medium

Copper: repoussé, engraved, gilt, cut out and nailed; champlevé enamel: lapis and light blue, red; gems; wood core (walnut)

Culture

French

Department

Medieval Art

Credit line

Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917