The Virgin Mary is portrayed in three-quarter length, dressed in a tunic and covered by a full veil that, starting from her forehead, falls onto her shoulders, envelops the entire...
The Virgin Mary is portrayed in three-quarter length, dressed in a tunic and covered by a full veil that, starting from her forehead, falls onto her shoulders, envelops the entire scene, and is secured on her chest with a rounded clasp. The Christ Child is standing with a foot resting on an open book that is in the lap of his Mother. He is dressed in a tunic that reveals his arms and legs from the knee down. In his right hand he is holding an apple and with his left he is stroking Mary’s chin. He is looking towards the young St John who, half kneeling, is positioned in the lower part of the scene. He is dressed with a shorter tunic, whose edges have the look of camel leather. His arms are raised towards the Christ Child. There are gilded traces on the hair of the three figures and on the camel leather of the St John’s tunic.
The face of the Virgin Mary is oval, with half-closed eyes and a slight smile. The waves of hair pulled back leave her forehead uncovered, and fall behind her shoulders. The length and narrowness of her fingers are striking. Both, the Christ Child and the little Saint John, present similar infant models, with almond-shaped eyes, full cheeks and short, curly hair. Their expression, with a closed mouth, renders the gravity of the moment.
The relief has been crafted with great technical perfection. The scene completely fills the oval that frames it, where the head of the Virgin Mary and the figures of the Children are almost in the round. The veil, with its folds and twists, blankets the figures of the children and gives unity to the scene. The feeling of intimacy that the three figures succeed in conveying demonstrates the skill of a great sculptor.