Virgin and Child

Sculptors often used clay to create preparatory models for works in other materials. The clay models were usually fired in a kiln, making them sturdier and more likely to survive. The models were also appreciated as works of art in their own right.

This composition was probably meant to be carved in marble. It captures the intimacy and silence of a mother holding her sleeping child. The Virgin's twisting pose is accentuated by the flow of soft drapery, which seems to envelop both mother and child.