A famous preacher from an aristocratic family in Genoa, Sauli (1534-1591) spearheaded important Catholic reforms, including popular missions and restructuring the church to reach a broader spectrum of worshippers. This sculpture is a model for a large statue commissioned by the Sauli family for a Ge
This work has been associated with Johann Pieter Wagner, one of the leading Austrian sculptors of the second half of the 18th century. Because of its small size, it was most likely either a model for a larger altarpiece or an object designed for private devotion. Gold serves as celestial decoration
Apostle figures such as this were made in large numbers in the eastern Netherlands during the early 1500s. This figure of Saint Andrew, identified by his X-shaped cross, was undoubtedly a single figure from an apostle series. It may have been used above a choir stall in a church, or else part of an
Taken at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Virginia Beach, Virginia. A painted statue of the Virgin Mary in a blue mantle stands on a cloud and crushes the serpent beneath her feet. She wears a crown of purple and blue flowers and is flanked by two gold lanterns holding candles, with sunflowers beside
Taken at the Church of the Ascension in Virginia Beach, Virginia. A bronze statue of Christ with outstretched arms rises above the church's walls at night, and the floodlights throw a dramatic shadow of his arms across the white wall behind him.
Taken at the Church of the Ascension in Virginia Beach, Virginia. A white statue of the Virgin Mary with open hands stands lit at dusk in the church's prayer garden, surrounded by fresh and silk flowers, with benches and a stone path around her.
Gaggini was a member of a large family of sculptors whose Palermo workshop supplied monumental religious sculptures for the cathedrals of Palermo and Messina in Sicily and Montelione in Calabria. After 1507 Antonello himself worked for 15 years to produce marble sculptures for Palermo Cathedral. Thi
This head exhibits many of the characteristics of the style associated with the workshop of Giovanni Pisano. These are particularly noteworthy in the sensitive carving of the haunting face and its strikingly drilled beard. The head compares favorably to the sculpture made while Giovanni was master o
Both the Virgin and the Christ child are lavishly attired. Their mantle hems are engraved to create the illusion of being fur-lined, and turquoise enamel beads create "pearl"-studded decorative bands on the Virgin’s wrist, knee, and crown and on Christ’s collar. The similarity of their garments emph
The Madonna is seated beneath a Gothic-arched canopy flanked by Saints Catherine and John the Baptist. A rectangular frame encloses the group. Most likely from a Sienese church interior, the work is probably a fragment of a larger sculptural program such as a tomb. An authentic Gothic style in sculp
As Christ dragged his cross through the streets of Jerusalem, Veronica wiped sweat from Christ’s face, which was miraculously imprinted on the fabric. This relief probably came from a choir screen, a barrier between the altar and the congregation, common in medieval churches. Yet the sculpture is mo
These figures of the Virgin and Saint John once formed part of a Crucifixion group that would have originally included a figure of Christ on the cross shown at center. Fortunately the original polychromy of the two figures has been preserved, affording the viewer a rare opportunity to appreciate a r
Twelve public-domain medieval and Renaissance statues of the Virgin Mary and the Christ Child, free to download.
Johann Peter Schwanthaler belonged to a renowned family of sculptors that produced works for religious and domestic settings throughout Bavaria, Austria, and southern Germany for more than 250 years. This imposing image of God the Father would have formed part of a larger group, probably at the top
This figure comes from the tomb of Duke Philip the Bold from the church of Champmol near Dijon (Burgundy, France). Philip, who founded the monastery and designated it as his burial place, hired the best artists, many of whom came from the Netherlands. While the commission was given in 1381, the work
The two sculptures come from an altarpiece in the cathedral of Saint Omer in northern France. Four other figures have been preserved there, and possibly one at the Metropolitan Museum in New York. The workshop was probably located in Bruges, in what is now Belgium. Sculpture was the leading art genr
One of the most important and beautiful sculptures that still exist by this artist, this work is believed to be the only sculpture by Andrea Pisano in the US. The attribution to Pisano is based upon a comparison with his bronze reliefs for the Baptistry doors in Florence, fully documented examples o
The Virgin and Child represents one of the most frequent subjects for free-standing sculpture in 14th-century France, motivated by the developing cult of the Virgin and increasing veneration of Mary. Such sculptures were not restricted to churches, but were also found in roadside shrines, entrances
These small statuettes would have originally flanked a crucifix as suggested by this arrangement. According to the Gospels, the Virgin and Saint John were present on Golgotha at Christ’s death. Medieval artists frequently depicted them standing next to the cross. Medium: Gilt copper. Measurements:
By the 11th century, monumental crucifixes carved from wood and painted were a common feature of church interiors. Placed on or suspended above the main altar, they reminded viewers of Christ’s sacrifice on behalf of mankind at the Crucifixion, an event reenacted every time Mass was celebrated on th
This sculpture comes from an altarpiece in the cathedral of Saint Omer in northern France. Four other figures have been preserved there, and possibly one at the Metropolitan Museum in New York. The workshop was probably located in Bruges, in what is now Belgium. Sculpture was the leading art genre a
Saint Elizabeth was born in 1207, the daughter of Andreas II, King of Hungary; her crown alludes to her royal birth. Many legends about her generosity and work on behalf of the poor were circulated in the Middle Ages, among them the subject of this sculpture: food she was carrying to the poor was mi
Surviving in fragmentary condition, this pair of angels lacks lower arms, hands, wings, and attributes. Their original paint and gilding, now almost entirely lost, once rendered their garments a rich brocade and their hair a luxuriant gold. Nonetheless, in their graceful poses and sublime faces—whic
Tino da Camaino was active in Siena, Pisa, and Florence after 1311 where he established his reputation as an important and gifted sculptor. In 1323 he was summoned to the Angevin court at Naples, probably by King Robert of Anjou to work on the sepulchral monument of the king's daughter-in-law, Cathe
