Maria met kind c. 1480 - 1490

This terracotta relief of the Virgin and Child was made in Florence by Andrea del Verrocchio, sometime in the late 15th century. These images of the Madonna and Child were incredibly common in the Renaissance, reflecting the period’s deep religious faith and the importance of the family unit. Looking at the context in which this piece was created, Florence was a thriving center of art and culture, dominated by powerful families like the Medici who used art as a tool to display wealth and status. Verrocchio ran a large and successful workshop where artists, including Leonardo da Vinci, were trained. This artwork, therefore, also reflects institutional workshop practices where the division of labor was essential to meet the demands of the art market. As historians, we can use workshop records and other documents to better understand the artistic practices and cultural values that shaped such works of art, reminding us that art is always deeply embedded in its social and institutional context.