Madonna and Child (c. 1400–1410): Art, History and Details

Madonna and Child (c. 1400–1410) is in the Cleveland Museum of Art collection.

The work and its context

The museum's open-access catalogue describes the work:

This sculpture belongs to a type known as a Schöne Madonna or "Beautiful Virgin," popularized in central Europe during the late 1300s and early 1400s. The Virgin’s stance adheres to an S-curve as she stands with one leg straight and the other slightly bent at the knee. Her body is hidden beneath long, voluminous, draping garments. These so-called Beautiful Madonnas are among the most popular creations of Bohemian art and were in high demand for churches and private veneration.

Object facts

• Title: Madonna and Child
• Date: c. 1400–1410
• Culture: Bohemia, vicinity of Freistadt, 15th century
• Type: Sculpture
• Technique: lindenwood with polychromy
• Dimensions: Overall: 59.1 cm (23 1/4 in.)
• Collection: MED - Gothic
• Department: Medieval Art
• Accession number: 1959.339

Collection credit

Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Severance A. Millikin

Further reading listed by the museum

• Cleveland Museum of Art, “Recent Acquisition Press Release,” July 20, 1960, Cleveland Museum of Art Archives.
• Cleveland Museum of Art, “Recent Acquisition Press Release,” November 3, 1960, Cleveland Museum of Art Archives.

View the collection record

See the museum's photographs and full catalogue entry. Catalogue text is reproduced from the Cleveland Museum of Art's open-access data, with HTML formatting removed. This object and its supplied image are designated CC0.