Virgin and Child

This small statue in the round represents a Virgin and Child. Its modest dimensions contrast with its monumental design.

The dropped hip in Mary's posture is partly concealed by the flowing movement of the coat she is wrapped in. It covers her left shoulder, making a wide drape with its edge rolled up and dropped over the hip leaving the right arm free, to come across diagonally under her left hand where it forms a pile of fabric.

Indicative remnants of polychromy accentuate the sculpted depiction of the garments. The blue of the coat, which contrasts with the red of the dress, is complemented by the gold of the braid and on the back of the coat. An added crown made by a goldsmith would have been worn on the flat top of the head.

The bust of the child and his mother's right arm being missing only marginally affects the overall balance.

The work can be compared to certain sculptures from Bourbonnais around 1500, characterised by their pursuit of elegance, the elongated nature of the silhouette, and the refined modelling of the hands. The geological analysis of the stone has shown that it is carved from Apremont stone, which is widely found in this region, reinforcing this connection.

However, the facial type, the elongated proportions of the legs in relation to the bust, and the unique arrangement of the strands of hair forming arches that project in front of the shoulders make it a distinctive work within the sculptural corpus of this centre artistic production at that time, suggesting that a sculptor from another region was involved.