The Miracle of the Speaking Babe

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Donatello's nineteenth-century plaster cast reproduction of his original bronze masterpiece captures a pivotal moment in history. In June 1447, Donatello was commissioned to create four reliefs showcasing St Anthony of Padua's miracles. By this point, three of the reliefs, including the Miracles of the Speaking Babe, had already been molded into stone. This scene vividly depicts St Anthony as he forces a week-old infant to reveal its father's identity, thereby saving the child's mother from false accusations of adultery and securing her honor. The original relief is an integral part of the High Altar within Padua's Basilica di Sant'Antonio.