The Virgin and Child 

Antonio Rossellino crafted this bronze relief of ‘The Virgin and Child’ in fifteenth-century Italy. The sculpture depicts the Virgin Mary tenderly cradling the infant Jesus. Rossellino was working during a time when powerful families like the Medici were investing in art that served both aesthetic and spiritual purposes. Within the historical context of Renaissance Florence, where gender roles were clearly defined, Mary was the ideal woman. She was revered for her purity and motherhood. This sculpture would have been a symbol of piety, reflecting the deep religious beliefs of the period. Yet there is an undeniable, deep emotion that transcends dogma. Rossellino captures a quiet, intimate moment between a mother and her child. The Virgin's gaze is gentle and loving, humanizing the divine and reminding us of the universal experience of motherhood.