Many elite Florentine Renaissance homes had sculptures of idealized young women carrying nature’s bounty, such as this work. The motif stems from a statue by Donatello (about 1386-1466) that towered over Florence’s main public market. At home, however, the sculpture became a talisman for the family’s well-being. Worry about the low birth rate was a serious political matter in Florence, so the sculpture would have stimulated fertility and promoted motherhood, but it also promoted financial success.
