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Virgin and Child with Bird

mid-15th century
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 305
Represented as Queen of Heaven, the Virgin holds a playful Christ Child who, in turn, has caught a bird in flight. The bird symbolizes the soul and its resurrection. The bird nourishes itself on the blood of Christ, an act that refers to the Eucharist.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Virgin and Child with Bird
  • Date: mid-15th century
  • Culture: French
  • Medium: Limestone with polychromy
  • Dimensions: Overall: 58 1/4 x 22 1/4 x 13 1/4 in. (148 x 56.5 x 33.7 cm)
  • Classification: Sculpture-Stone
  • Credit Line: Gift of Max and Elinor Toberoff, 1997
  • Object Number: 1997.125
  • Curatorial Department: Medieval Art and The Cloisters

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