The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of March 28, 2024

Virgin and Child

Virgin and Child

1410–1430
Overall: 153 x 58 x 27 cm (60 1/4 x 22 13/16 x 10 5/8 in.)

Description

Though its original commission is unknown, this sculpture reveals the pervasive influence of the work of Claus de Werve and the Burgundian court style in the early 1400s, fashionable through the patronage of the first two Valois dukes of Burgundy, and widespread throughout eastern France and the Netherlands. The sophisticated treatment of the Virgin’s mantle and draperies impart an elegance and majesty to this sculpture characteristic of de Werve’s work. The abundant draperies that clothe the Virgin are typical of Burgundian sculpture of the early 1400s. In Burgundian sculpture, naturalism is complemented by decorative splendor and a surging interest in volume and space. These criteria were developed in and about the ducal palace of Dijon, the duchy’s capital, and at the nearby Carthusian monastery of Champmol. Beyond the commissions of the ducal court, ecclesiastics were among the leading patrons of art, many of whom commissioned sculptures, paintings, and other works from the same artists associated with the ducal court and reflect the style that emanated from it.
  • {{cite web|title=Virgin and Child |url=false|author=|year=1410–1430|access-date=28 March 2024|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/17.2012