Virgin and Child

myminifactory

This captivating yet personal image of the Virgin and Child was likely a gift from John the Fearless, Duke of Burgundy (died 1419), or his wife, Margaret of Bavaria (died 1424), to the convent they founded in honor of the Franciscan order of Poor Clares at Poligny. As court sculptor to the influential dukes of Burgundy in Dijon, Claus de Werve, to whom this sculpture is attributed, created numerous masterpieces for his patrons, and this sculpture stands out as one of his most impressive works. The curly-headed child Jesus gazes up at his mother as she balances him and a substantial book on her lap. This heartwarming moment between mother and son serves as a presentation of a sophisticated theological theme. The key to understanding it lies in the Latin inscription on the bench, which is taken from the Book of Ecclesiasticus, dedicated to and praising wisdom. It reads, "From the beginning, and before the world, was I created" (24:14). By the thirteenth century, the Church had begun applying this text, which refers to Wisdom as a feminine entity, to discuss Mary, but Christ as God incarnate was seen as the personification of divine Wisdom on earth, while Mary was viewed as the vessel or throne that bore him.