Virgin and Child

Lorenzo Ghiberti was one of the most successful bronze sculptors working in Florence during the early Renaissance. His contemporary fame rested on the prestigious commissions he received for two sets of doors, completed between 1401 and 1424 for the Baptistry in Florence.

This half-length Madonna is one of Ghiberti’s approximately forty surviving variants, all of which have common characteristics. These shared features include serene expressions with narrow eyes and thin eyebrows, and the careful arrangement of the Virgin and Child, head to cheek. The popularity of this devotional relief began around 1420 and continued to the end of the fifteenth century.