Virgin and Child

ca.1430 - 1450 · Relief · 11.6 × 9.4 cm

May one see it?

Yes, receiving visitors

Victoria and Albert Museum

London, United Kingdom

RoomMedieval & Renaissance, Room 64a, The Robert H. Smith Gallery

On public display.

Checked: 11 days ago
In this state since: Sep 25, 2026
Source: The museum's own collection data

On the map Museum page

About the sculpture

Small, portable bronze plaquettes like this one may have been used for personal devotion in fifteenth century Italy, and were also collected by princes and scholars.

Images of the Virgin and Child were believed to have talismatic and protective properties. Some compositions, particularly those associated with miracle-working images, became very popular and were widely reproduced.

Donatello was probably responsible for the original design of this example, and this plaquette may have been made in his workshop. Other versions of the plaquette still exist, and the design was also copied in other media, including silver and terracotta. There is a stucco relief in the V&A collection (museum number A.45-1926) with the same design, which was probably cast from another, earlier version of the plaquette.

Victoria and Albert Museum