Federazione Italiana Mercanti d'Arte

"The Virgin of the Milk" Medieval wooden sculpture

Master sculptor from Northern Italy , 14h century

"The Virgin of the Milk"
Medieval wooden sculpture
Master sculptor from Northern Italy
XIV th century
Walnut wood with traces of polychrome

Height 68 cm
Width 27 cm
Depth 30 cm

A rare and fascinating wooden sculpture, full of human and spiritual meaning, and of great historical and artistic interest.

The Madonna of the Milk is one of the most moving and venerated sacred images in the Christian tradition, depicting the Virgin Mary breastfeeding the baby Jesus.

This particular image is also known by the Latin term "Virgo Lactans."

This iconography was already present in Byzantine and Eastern art during the Romanesque period, inspired by even more ancient traditions, such as the Egyptian goddess Isis breastfeeding Horus.

In the West, the Madonna del Latte became popular starting in the 12th century, encouraged by cultural and commercial exchanges with the Byzantine world, spreading throughout Italy, especially in Tuscany and Lombardy.

The Madonna del Latte is considered by the Christian world to be the quintessential image of Motherhood, transcending artistic boundaries to become a universal symbol of divine love and protection.

The vision of this medieval sculpture evokes a sense of strong emotional involvement, making it the most evocative of all depictions of the Madonna and Child.
Madonna del Latte scultura '400 contact us
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