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Madonna and Child
ca. 1340-135054 x 18 1/4 x 11 in. (137.2 x 46.4 x 27.9 cm)
French artist
France
French; probably made in Auvergne
Object Type:
Sculpture
Medium and Support:
Limestone, polychromy, gilding
Credit Line:
Gift of Emily Sibley Watson
Accession Number:
1928.466
Location: Currently on view
This beautiful representation of the Madonna and Child is typical of a type known as the “Virgin of Tenderness,” which developed in France in the early- and mid-1300s. The elegant quality of the Virgin’s dress and her courtly stance suggest her elevated status and nobility, while the Christ Child’s pose and the manner in which his mother supports him evokes an informal, tender mood.
The Virgin’s crown, which alludes to her role as Queen of Heaven, rests on a veil that symbolizes her humility. Although only a small fragment now survives, the Virgin initially held a flower in her right hand, probably a rose or lily, while the Christ Child holds a bird. In Christian tradition, these symbols refer to the story of Christ’s birth and sacrificial death.
[Gallery label text, June 2013]
The Virgin’s crown, which alludes to her role as Queen of Heaven, rests on a veil that symbolizes her humility. Although only a small fragment now survives, the Virgin initially held a flower in her right hand, probably a rose or lily, while the Christ Child holds a bird. In Christian tradition, these symbols refer to the story of Christ’s birth and sacrificial death.
[Gallery label text, June 2013]
Provenance
Haussaire Collection, Rheims; Arnold Seligmann, Rey & Co., New York (dealers); purchased from them by Emily Sibley Watson (1855-1945), Rochester, NY, for the Gallery in 1928
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Exhibition List
This object was included in the following exhibitions:
- A Loan Exhibition of French Gothic Art The Detroit Institute of Arts 11/16/1928 - 12/6/1928
- The Precursors of Modern Art 10/1/1938 - 10/31/1938
- Contrasts/Comparisons 9/28/1973 - 10/28/1973
Bibliography
This object has the following bibliographic references:
- Article Author: Walsh, David. Article Scope: Article and reproduction. Susan Dodge Peters, ed. Memorial Art Gallery: An Introduction to the Collection. Rochester, NY: Memorial Art Gallery in association with Hudson Hills Press, 1988. Page Number: 38-39, Figure Number: 38
- Memorial Art Gallery. Gallery Notes. Rochester, NY: Memorial Art Gallery, 1935-1995.
- Article Title: A Notable Gift to the Rochester Art Gallery. Article Scope: Article and reproduction. The American Magazine of Art. New York, New York: American Federation of Arts Volume Number: 20, Issue Number: 2. Issue Date: February 1929. Page Number: 106-107
- Article Author: Herdle, Gertrude R.. Article Title: A French Gothic Madonna and Child. Article Scope: Article and reproduction. Memorial Art Gallery. The Bulletin. Rochester, NY: Memorial Art Gallery Volume Number: 1, Issue Number: 3. Issue Date: January 1929. Page Number: 1-3+
- Article Title: A Notable Gift to the Rochester Art Gallery. Article Scope: Article and reproduction. American Magazine of Art. New York, NY: American Federation of Arts Volume Number: 20 Page Number: 106-107
- Article Scope: Mention and reproduction. Elizabeth Brayer. Magnum Opus: The Story of the Memorial Art Gallery, 1913-1988. Rochester, NY: Memorial Art Gallery, 1988.
- Memorial Art Gallery. ARTiculate. Rochester, NY: Memorial Art Gallery, 2000--.
- Article Scope: Entry and reproduction. The Detroit Institute of Arts. Seventh Loan Exhibition: French Gothic Art of the Thirteenth to Fifteenth Century, November 16 to December 6, 1928. Detroit, MI: Detroit Institute of Arts, 1928.
- Annual Report. Rochester, NY: Memorial Art Gallery
- The Precursors of Modern Art: The Rochester Memorial Art Gallery, Twenty-Fifth Anniversary Exhibition, October 1938. Rochester, NY: Memorial Art Gallery, 1938.
- Article Author: McKelvey, Blake. Article Title: The Visual Arts in Metropolitan Rochester. Article Scope: Mention. Rochester History. Rochester, NY: Rochester Public Library Volume Number: XXXII, Issue Number: 1. Issue Date: January 1970. Page Number: 3
- Scene. Rochester, NY: Arts & Cultural Council, 1969-1976.
- Article Author: Timmermann, Achim. Article Scope: Discussion and reproduction. Joan A. Holladay and Susan L. Ward. Gothic Sculpture in America. New York, NY: International Center of Medieval Art, 1989. Volume Number: 3 Page Number: 160-161, Figure Number: 93
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