Virgin and Child 1472 - 1478

Antonio Rossellino created this intimate bronze relief of the Virgin and Child in fifteenth-century Italy, a time of great artistic and religious fervor. The artwork invites us to contemplate not only the divine relationship between mother and child, but also the societal expectations and cultural values placed upon women and motherhood during the Renaissance. Rossellino presents Mary with a gentle gaze and a tender embrace. However, it is crucial to remember that her identity as a mother was inseparable from her role as a symbol of purity and obedience, virtues highly prized in women of that era. The angels crowning her are a symbol of her triumph, but they are also a reminder of the weight of religious doctrine and expectations she carried. Reflect on the ways in which this artwork embodies both the intimate bond between mother and child, and the broader socio-political context that shaped their identities.