The Virgin Of The Milk - Medieval Wooden Sculpture - Northern Italy, 14th Century

"The Virgin of the Milk"
Medieval wooden sculpture
Master sculptor from Northern Italy
14th century
Walnut wood with traces of polychromy

Height: 68 cm
Width:27
Depth: 30 cm

A rare and fascinating wooden sculpture, rich in human and spiritual significance, 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 and depicts the Virgin Mary nursing the Infant Jesus.
This particular image is also known by the Latin term “Virgo Lactans.”   This iconography was already present during the Romanesque period in Byzantine and Eastern art, inspired by even older traditions, such as the Egyptian goddess Isis nursing Horus.
In the West, the Madonna del Latte gained prominence starting in the 12th century, spurred by cultural and commercial exchanges with the Byzantine world, and spread 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.
Viewing this medieval sculpture evokes a strong emotional response, making it the most evocative of all depictions of the Madonna and Child.
The work is in very good condition, with solid, compact, and perfectly sound wood. The hard walnut wood is completely free of wood-boring insects and shows extensive traces of the original polychromy.

Price negotiable - Customized payment

We issue a stamped and signed certificate of authenticity guaranteeing the work’s period, provenance, and all its characteristics, drawn up by an antiquarian affiliated with FIMA (Italian Federation of Art Dealers).

Delivery in Italy and throughoutEurope within 3 days of receiving the bank transfer.

Shipping is tracked and insured, and the item is carefully packed in shock-resistant packaging inside a custom-made wooden crate.