Virgin and Child 1466 - 1479

This is Virgin and Child, made by Mino da Fiesole during the early Renaissance. It's carved in marble, a traditional art material prized for its purity and ability to capture light, transforming a heavy stone into something seemingly ethereal. The sculpture's appearance is deeply influenced by the qualities of the marble itself. The smooth, pale surface allows for delicate carving, seen in the subtle folds of Mary's drapery and the soft contours of the Christ Child. The artist likely used a variety of chisels and rasps to achieve this level of detail, revealing the figures from within the stone. Such refined carving demanded incredible skill and was part of a skilled tradition. The choice of marble also carries social significance. During the Renaissance, marble was associated with wealth and power, so this choice would have reflected the patron's status and devotion. The very act of transforming such a dense material into a tender image of mother and child speaks to the enduring power of craft. It reminds us that meaning is not just in the image, but also in the making.